FOR PROFIT. 51 



Given a sufficient food-supply all buds will develop 

 into fruit buds, but a deficiency results in either 

 dormant or growth buds only. Bearing" in mind what 

 has been said about the importance of light, it will 

 be seen that this factor alone will account for the 

 whole difference of the buds shown on the shoot. 

 The dormant buds at the base were nourished by 

 leaves which were to a certain extent shaded by those 

 above and therefore not so capable of forming food- 

 products. The leaves above these are the most 

 favourably situated and are produced at a period of 

 maximum sunshine (midsummer), and their activity is 

 therefore the greatest. The leaves higher still are 

 borne on the second or autumn growth, during 

 which weather conditions are not so favourable and 

 consequently only wood buds are produced. The leaves 

 at the extreme end of the shoot are, however, in an 

 excellent position and, moreover, are in a rosette, 

 which results in many leaves supplying* all their food 

 to one bud, and the result is frequently a terminal 

 fruit bud. 



In varieties of great vigour and with a large leaf- 

 surface the activity of one season is often sufficient to 

 produce a fruit bud when it is very favourably placed. 

 The formation of fruit buds and spurs in varieties of 

 less vigour and of buds less well situated as to light 

 and air is a matter of two seasons. Let us assume 

 that the shoot above referred to is unpruned, and 

 follow the development of the different buds the 

 following season. The dormant buds at the base of 

 the shoot will remain unaltered. The fruit buds will 

 produce their blossoms and a supply of leaves which 

 will feed the ensuing fruit. The wood buds above 



