139 



growth, and the accompanying figure illustrates their shape after 

 pruning. This operation excites the somewhat dormant buds at 

 the base of the shoot into active life. As previously said, the 

 terminal bud should be a plump and healthy one. It should be 

 directed either upwards, downwards, or sideways, so as to prolong 

 the growth of branch outwards or inwards, or towards a lateral 

 blank space. 



The growth of the main shoots is regulated by pinching, and 

 should a third or fourth twig grow amongst them between the 

 forks they are rubbed off. When the tree is ready for pruning a 

 third time it has then, if three main limbs only, six branches, which, 

 at the time' of the 



THIRD PRUNING, 



Are cut back to 6 to 12 inches, according to their strength. Two 

 of the top shoots on each of these branches with an upward 

 direction are left, and the lateral shoots from 

 the other buds on the limbs below are pinched 

 back in the summer time, when they are a few 

 inches long, to three or four leaves. 



These little tufts of leaves shelter the 

 branches, strengthen them by converting sap 

 into woody tissues, and ultimately develop 

 fruit spurs. Branches which approach the 

 vertical line most are cut shorter than those 

 inclined to an angle to thus force the buds at 

 the base to grow. 



FOURTH PRUNING. 



The same treatment described in the case 

 of the first, second, and third pruning is 

 applied in the case of the fourth pruning, and 

 generally at this age the tree will begin to bear 

 readily. At this period a stocky, low standard 

 tree will have been formed, which will have a 

 well-balanced head, constituted of branches 

 growing in an upward direction, and carrying 

 fruit spurs all along their length. Such a tree will resist high winds 

 well, can easily be approached by horse and implements, so that 

 comparatively little hand labour will be required to keep the orchard 

 in a high state of cultivation ; the crop will be evenly carried along 

 the main branches, which will not stand in need of artificial props, 

 lest they should break down under the load of fruit which, at this early 

 stage, they will begin to carry. The pinching of the superabundant 

 laterals is best done in the early autumn, when buds, which would 

 otherwise have remained sterile, are transformed into fruit buds. 

 This operation will besides save much butchering in the winter time, 

 as by suppressing either entirely or partly an undesirable shoot at an 

 early stage, much sap, which would be turned into wood growth, 



Winter Pruning of a 

 tree three years from 

 the bud. Barry. 



