spiu's and aiuoiuit of fruiting wood the tree contains. Figure (it) illustrates 

 an old branched lateral of an aged apple tree which has never been primed. There 

 are far too many spurs and buds on thii for the branch to nourish properly and 

 matru'e the fruit, besides it is crowding up the tree too much. If this is not pruned 

 back those spurs nearest the base will become so weak and exhausted that they 

 will either fail to produce fruit or else die out. Figure (il illustrates how this 

 lateral branch should be treated. When, the leaders have been allowed to go 

 vuipruiied they should be shortened back the following winter as illustrated in 

 Figures 58 and 59, and only in rare instances should they be allowed to go 

 unpruned for a longer term. It is far better to bring them back, and if they still 

 make strong growth let them go unpiuiied iox a second time. The .J(jnathan 



Fig. 62. 

 Unju'imed trees — a wreck. 



leaders must r.ever be treated in this manner but always shortened back each 

 winter. Figure 62 shows a fine crop brought about bj- not pruning but the trees 

 are absolutely ruined. 



As the trees age the spurs iiicrease and nndtiply and they must then be 

 tliinned out, leaving about three fruit-buds as far apart as possible, otherwise, as 

 stated before, they rob each other, and although the tree flowers hea\-ily the 

 setting of the fruit will not be satisfactory owing to the weakness and non- 

 pe\'elopment of the Vjuds, and if they do set their fruit, the spur is not strong 

 enough to matme so many fruit, and small fruit of poor quality and flavour 

 results. Apart from this there is, as a rule, not sufficient foliage on many varieties 

 either for pjrotectifin or for the assimilation purposes. 



purposes. 



