PRUNING PRINCIPLES 97 



91. 10. The uppermost buds, especially on young plants, 

 tend to grow most vigorously. 



Ordinary observation shows, and philosophy explains 

 (Chapter III), that, due to the fight for air and light among 

 the twigs, growth is from the uppermost buds. This na- 

 tural method may be suppressed or emphasized according 

 to the way the plants are managed. Shortening the annual 

 growths (106) checks development and so does the forma- 

 tion of constrictions (98). These two methods each deserve 

 separate discussion. 



92. //. By shortening the twigs npo)i which they are 

 borne, axillary buds may be more fully developed than would 

 normally be the case if the twigs were not shortened. 



It stands to reason that when part of a shoot is removed 

 the food intended by the plant for the whole shoot will 

 reach the remaining part in relatively larger supply. But 

 this principle connotes still more. It deals largely with the 

 practice of heading-in, a process which tends to broaden 

 and thicken the top of the plant so treated. One or other 

 of two objects may be secured by heading-in; namely, (1) 

 the correction of an undesirable habit of growth and (2) 

 the encouragement of fruit production (Principle 17, below). 

 Each of these objects may involve the consideration of one 

 or more of the following factors: (a) The grower's pref- 

 erence as to the way the trees shall be trained, (b) the dis- 

 tance between the trees, (c) the nature of the trees, es- 

 pecially whether standard or dwarf, and (d) the rate of 

 growth. 



a. On the first point, the grower's preference, probably no 

 one man can exactly meet the ideas of another man. It is 

 usually a case of "what he likes, he likes." When a thick, 

 round-headed tree is the aim, shortening-in must be prac- 

 ticed ; when an open centered one, it must be shunned, unless 

 possibly before the tree comes into bearing. 



b. When trees are set close together, just as when their 

 tops are dense, the -effort to secure air and light tends to 



