THE APPLE AKD THE PEAK. 217 



lowest brandies must be longest, and when it happens 

 that they do not take their due proportion of vigor, as 

 compared with those above them, and if pinching has 

 not been duly attended to the past summer, to maintain 

 regularity, the weaker must now be favored with a long 

 pruning. 



Fig. 108 represents a four-year old pear tree of the white 

 Doyenne, three times pruned, #, 5, c. 



It has been remarked, that the habits of growth and 

 bearing of the pear and apple are similar, but it should 

 be noted, that in treating them as pyramids, the apple 

 tree is more liable to lose its vigor at the top, and there- 

 fore it -is necessary to keep an eye to this point in their 

 management. From what has- been said with reference 

 to an equal distribution of the sap, the remedy for this 

 difficulty will be obvious, viz., to reduce the vigor of the 

 lower parts by pinching, shortening, and heavy crops, 

 and to favor the upper part by long pruning and thin- 

 ning, or wholly removing the fruits. 



Management of ttie fruit branches. About the sixth 

 to the eighth year, from the first pruning of the tree, it 

 will have attained nearly as great dimensions as in many 

 cases will be desirable, and be well furnished with fruit 

 branches. 



After this period, the object of the pruning will be to 

 prevent the extension of the tree, and maintain the fruit 

 bearing parts in a healthy and productive state. Without 

 proper care they will be liable to suffer from bearing too 

 much, or from the growth of young wood on the extremi- 

 ties of young branches. 



To diminish the growth, and favor the fruit branches, 

 the young shoots must be pruned shorter than before, in 

 order to turn the sap more to the benefit of the fruits, and 

 w r hen the fruit spurs become too numerous, so as to be too 

 near one another, and produce more fruit than the tree 

 10 



