274 Bush-Fruits 



stems are allowed, and these should be frequently re- 

 newed. Wood over three years old should seldom be al- 

 lowed to remain. Some expert growers of long experience 

 say that none over two years old should be left. Super- 

 fluous young shoots should also be cut away, but the buds 

 at the base of these may well be left, as they develop into 

 fruit-bearing spurs. A difference of opinion exists in re- 

 gard to cutting back the young growth. The longer the 

 old wood is left the greater will be the demand for cutting 

 back. This method may give increased productiveness, 

 but finer fruit will result from frequent renewing. The 

 more vigorous shoots may be shortened-in, to prevent the 

 bush from becoming straggling, and to preserve its bal- 

 ance. Since the greater part of the fruit is borne near the 

 base of the shoots, shortening these may tend toward a 

 better development of the fruit spurs, especially if the 

 shoots are nipped back in summer, when they have reached 

 sufficient height. In common practice, cutting away part 

 of the older canes at the ground in spring, is all that is 

 needed. If too many young stalks have been produced, 

 the weaker ones should also be removed. 



Experiments in thinning the fruit, made in New Jersey, 1 

 showed that when the outer half of the flower-cluster was 

 removed with a pair of scissors there were 15 per cent 

 more berries to the cluster, and the berries were 7 per cent 

 heavier. The quality also seemed to be better. 



Various fancy methods of training are resorted to by 



those with a taste for oddities. Sometimes they are 



trained in "pillar" form, one upright shoot being tied to a 



stake and the side branches kept very short. They may 



1 Garden and Forest, 3 : 19. 



