XXII. APPLE FRUIT SPUR 



Material. Apple branches from the ends of fruit-bearing limbs. 



Observation. On the apple twig do you find short, 

 swollen lengths that look as if something had been 

 broken from their ends ? These are spurs on which 

 apples grew. How many spurs do you find ? Look 

 at one of the largest spurs. What is its length? 

 How much larger around is it than the stem on 

 which it grows ? Has it a shoot on its side ? 



How many round scars do you find on the tip of 

 the spur ? From each scar an apple fell. How many 

 apples tried to grow on the twig last summer ? 



Notice the buds on the ends of the side branches 

 of the twig. Are some of them much larger than 

 others ? The large ones are probably blossom buds. 

 How many blossoms would the twig probably have 

 put forth next spring ? 



Drawing. Draw a picture of an apple fruit spur. 

 Show the scars on its end. the shoot on its side, and 

 the blossom bud, if there is one. 



Composition. Write a history of the fruit spur. 

 Describe the spur and tell what you can about the 

 apples that it bore. Tell what you think would have 

 grown from it next year if it had not been cut off. 



