56 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



60. Slow growth favors fruitfulness. Since lack of 

 light due to disadvantageous position tends to reduce food 

 supply and consequently size of twigs, many twigs so 

 deprived develop into fruit spurs. Hence it may be con- 

 cluded that slow growth favors fruitfulness. Generally 

 when twigs have developed the fruit-bearing habit they 

 continue in this habit. Thus at, say, 20 years of age, they 

 may be only a few inches long though they may have 

 produced a considerable number of fruits. It does not 



FIG. 35 FRUITING SPURS OF APPLE 



The left-hand specimen has evidently home a fruit. A cluster bud has de- 

 veloped on the stub and a branch or spur bud is swelling below. A similar case 

 is in the middle, but two cluster buds have been formed. The right-hand specimen 

 shows the mummy of an apple that failed to mature beside the branch bud of 

 which a new branch bud has formed. The other spurs also on this twig show normal 

 growth, the spurs being two years old. 



ft 



follow that the habit cannot be broken or that advantage 

 cannot be taken of it, as in invigorating old fruit spurs. 

 (Fig. 150.) Injudicious pruning is one of the surest ways 

 of destroying the fruit-bearing habit; and this, too, with- 

 out the removal of any of the spurs. (Fig. 171.) Heavy 

 pruning, especially during the winter of a season when 

 the crop is light, will force many strong growths from the 

 fruit spurs as well as from other parts of the tree, so that, 



