246 APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLES. 



clear that plants of these three kinds will each require 

 a distinct plan of pruning for fruit. 



The pruner has frequently no other object in view 

 than that of thinning the branches so as to allow the 

 free access of light and air to the fruit ; and if this 

 purpose is wisely followed, by merely removing super- 

 fluous foliage, the end attained is highly useful ; it is 

 clear, however, that in order to arrive at this end, 

 without committinginjury to the tree which is operat- 

 ed on, it is indispensable that its exact mode of bear- 

 ing fruit should be in the first instance clearly ascer- 

 tained. 



The period of ripening fruit is sometimes changed 

 by skilful pruning, as in the case of the Easpberry, 

 which may be made to bear a second crop of fruit in 

 the autumn, after the first crop has been gathered. 

 In order to effect this, the strongest canes, which 

 in the ordinary course of things would bear a quan- 

 tity of fruiting twigs, are cut down to within two or 

 three eyes of the base ; the laterals thus produced, 

 being impelled into rapid growth by an exuberance 

 of sap, are unable to form their fruit buds so early as 

 those twigs in which excessive growth is not thus 

 produced; and, consequently, while the latter firuit 

 at one season, the others cannot reach a bearing state 

 till some weeks later. Autumnal crops of sunmier 

 roses, and of strawberries, have been sometimes pro- 

 cured by the destruction of the usual crop at a very 

 early period of the season ; the sap intended to 

 nourish the flower buds destroyed is, after their 

 removal, expended in forming new flower buds, 



