4 Management of the Apple Tree, 



Summer Pruning. When the buds upon that part of 

 the leading stem which was produced last have pushed, 

 they are all rubbed off to the three uppermost. The 

 topmost is trained straight up the wall, for a lead to the main 

 stem ; and the two others, one on each side. The instructions 

 given for stopping the leading shoot in summer, also shorten- 

 ing it back in winter pruning, &c, are attended to until the 

 tree arrives at a few inches from the top of the wall. The 

 side branches are allowed to grow without being shortened 

 back at any time, until they have extended as far as can be 

 permitted, when they are pruned in every winter, by cutting 

 back each leading shoot to two buds from where it pushed 

 the previous spring. Any shoots arising from the fore part 

 of the main stem are taken clean away. The buds upon the 

 wood made last year will this summer generally make fruitful 

 ones. If, on the contrary (as is sometimes the case), shoots 

 are produced instead of fruitful buds, they are allowed to 

 grow ten or twelve inches long, until the wood attains a little 

 hardness towards the bottom of it, when they are cut down to 

 about two inches in length ; and at the bottom part of what 

 remains, one or two fruit buds are formed, so as to be pro- 

 ductive in most cases the next year, but in others not until 

 the second year. Although such a shoot was shortened as 

 directed, yet it will generally push a shoot or more the same 

 season from the top part of it. After such have grown a suit- 

 able length (as before described), they are cut back to about 

 two inches from where they pushed. If more than one shoot 

 were produced after the first shortening, and a bud or two is 

 well swelled at the origin of the shoot (as before described), 

 all the shoots are left, and shortened as directed ; but, if no 

 such bud is produced, all the shoots are cut clean away ex- 

 cepting one, which is treated in shortening as before directed. 

 The latter practice will generally be found necessary, and 

 also be more advantageous, as a greater portion of sun*" and 

 air is admitted to the buds, which will be considerably 

 strengthened and forwarded to a mature state. If after such 

 treatment fruit buds are not produced from the origin of the 

 shoot, I nail the shoot to the wall, parallel with the branch, 

 which is uniformly successful in producing them. 



Third Year. — Winter Pruning. Such of the buds as pro- 

 duced wood shoots the last year, and were shortened during 

 summer as described, are now shortened more. It frequently 

 happens that a fruitful bud, or in some instances two, will 

 have been formed at the lower part of the shoot [fig. 2. a a) ; 

 such shoots are now cut off about quarter of an inch above 



