THE TEEATMENT OF THE SHOOT 143 



If we find that a tree has the tendency to produce every 

 year a number of shoots with an excessive number of fruiting 

 buds, so that the tree is in danger of exhausting itself and not 

 producing a proper crown, the tree must be pruned for wood. 

 We know that a rich and -continuous supply of water increases 

 the vegetative activity of a shoot, the leaves become larger 

 and the intemodes longer. The supply of water to the various 

 buds can, however, be relatively increased by decreasing the 

 number of buds. The number of eyes will therefore have to 

 be diminished by pruning the branches, and the stronger the 

 shoots are to be next year, the shorter the branches must be 

 cut. Pruning for wood is therefore merely a cutting away of 

 branches, leaving only a short piece of each shoot. 



Pruning for fruit, on the other hand, becomes necessary 

 when a tree produces long unbranching shoots of a vigorous 

 character, but which show no flowering buds. This production 

 of woody shoots can only be stopped by cutting away the tips 

 of the branches, leaving the greater portion, or at least the 

 half, of the shoot. The uppermost buds of the remainder of 

 the shoot soon grow out, but are pinched off while still young, 

 and by this means the lower buds are encouraged to swell and 

 to form flower-bearing buds. If this method of procedure 

 does not result in a sufficient production of fruiting buds, 

 bending, twisting, or ringing the shoots may be tried. We 

 shall refer to these special means a little farther on. 



The same variety will have to be treated differently in 

 different localities and also in different climates. Colder 

 climates have the same effect as damp ones of causing a 

 production of wood, and necessitate therefore a similar treat- 

 nient. Warm,' dry, and sunny localities promote the formation 

 of short shoots, rich in food material, and are therefore favour- 

 able to the production of flowering buds ; the trees in such 

 localities must therefore be well pruned in, so as to stimulate 

 the growth of strong branches, which are necessary for the full 

 development of the crown. 



Pruning should also be used to correct the faults of over- 

 manuring. If, for instance, a tree has been stimulated by an 

 excessive amount of nitrates or potash : in the manure to 

 produce too large a number of long shoots, such ovar-produc-^ 



