290 Bush-Fruits 



allowing it to replace that which is older before the latter 

 has a chance to fail. The weak young shoots should be cut 

 away, or perhaps be cut back to two or three buds, if the 

 bush is still thin. The vigorous ones may be moderately 

 cut back, and as much old wood cut away as can be spared 

 without interfering with the productiveness of the bush. 



Benj. G. Smith states 1 that he prunes as carefully as he 

 does grape vines, some on the spur system and some with 

 long shoots, with equal success. This is significant, in 

 showing that the method is of minor importance. The es- 

 sential thing is to so renew that the bearing wood shall al- 

 ways be strong and vigorous, and the amount of such wood 

 not greater than the bush is able to support and fill 

 with well-developed fruit. In northern localities an open 

 top is desirable, but where the summers are hot a thicker 

 growth, with more shade, may be better. Shortening- 

 back the lower branches severely will aid in keeping the 

 fruit up from the ground. 



In the tree form of pruning, from six to ten main 

 branches are allowed to grow, and all suckers are cut away. 

 These main branches may be allowed to divide as the bush 

 gets older. They are annually shortened to a few inches of 

 new growth and the side shoots cut back to from one to 

 four buds. 



In practical culture, thinning is all done by the amount 

 of wood removed. In the production of prize berries, as 

 practiced by English growers, thinning is an absolute 

 necessity. The largest fruit can only be produced by 

 closely limiting the number which the plant is allowed to 

 carry. Thinning is no less important in commercial work, 

 1 Trans. Mass. Hort. Soc. 1883: 123. 



