Pruning 71 



into growth than those near the tip. If tipped at too high 

 a point the result will be a tall, top-heavy plant easily 

 blown over or broken down. 



If done at the right time these shoots can be pinched 

 off with the thumb and finger as easily as in any other 

 way. In practice it is not easy to reach them all at 

 the right time so that some implement may be useful. 

 Sheep-shears are very convenient for this purpose. In 

 young plantations, where there are no old canes in the 

 way, a sharp knife or sickle will do the work more 

 quickly. 



Tipping, as above described, is the only pruning de- 

 manded the first season after the plant is set. The next 

 step is to shorten back the lateral branches the following 

 spring. These are ordinarily left from twelve to eighteen 

 inches long, but this operation should not be done by rule. 

 As previously suggested, this is the thinning process in 

 handling bush-fruits, and should be done with judgment. 

 The length of the lateral should be influenced by the age 

 and vigor of the plant, the fertility of the soil and its 

 moisture-holding, capacity, the care and fertilizer given, 

 etc. There is sometimes a temptation to leave too much 

 wood, especially the first year of fruiting. It is possible, 

 by leaving the canes long, to secure a fairly large crop the 

 first year, but when this is done the plant's energy is 

 so absorbed in fruit production that little is left for wood 

 growth. The succeeding crops are therefore much less 

 satisfactory than they otherwise would be. 



The above method is the one commonly in use in grow- 

 ing black-caps, but an occasional grower prefers to omit 

 the summer pinching of the growing shoots, allowing them 



