154 AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 



flow. As the strongest flow is toward those parts that are 

 in a vertical direction, we may also check this tendency, 

 or encourage it, by altering the position of the branch, as 

 is done in the vineyard by tying up the canes we wish to 

 have developed, and depressing the laterals with their 

 fruit ; so in a tree, we may depress the shoots which are 

 too strong, and elevate those that are weak, to produce 

 the desired effect. We may also greatly diminish the flow 

 of sap to a strong branch by removing early all its useless 

 buds ; this is a sort of premature pinching to be sure, but 

 when we consider the powerful influence exerted by these 

 organs as centers of vitality, we can realize their attrac- 

 tive force in drawing the sap towards them. After the 

 production of the full number of shoots upon the weaker 

 branch, if the foliage continue to predominate upon the 

 stronger shoot, it may be partially removed by early 

 pinching, or cutting through the petioles, not by tearing 

 them off; and as late as possible, remove the surplus and 

 useless shoots from the weaker branches, which 'were at 

 first needed to encourage the flow of sap in that direction. 



The true pinching of the young laterals, or new shoots, 

 should also be done as early as possible to keep them in 

 check on the strong branches, while the same operation 

 may be delayed on the weaker, from which we should re- 

 move only those that will be supernumeraries. M. Du 

 Breuil also recommends the stimulation of the weaker 

 limbs, by bathing all the green portions with a solution 

 of sulphate of iron, made by dissolving twenty-four grains 

 in a pint of water. This should be applied in the even- 

 ing, when it is absorbed by the leaves, and acts as a pow- 

 erful stimulant. 



