74 



the case of old trees not too well clothed with fruiting wood on the main and second- 

 arj- arms, the water shoots should be retained, and fully utilised by constant cutting 

 or nipping back during the summer, before they get too strong and too long. By 

 this means good fruiting wood can be produced along bare limbs, to replace that 

 lost. If left alone, water shoots will take the sap and rob the rest of the Umbs. 



Figiu-e 81 shows a lateral spur which should be shortened back. Figure 82 

 shows the result in the absence of shortening ; it will be observed that the 

 old portion has become barren. The next course is to cut this back where marked 

 " a ■■ at the joint of the old and new growths. In all probabiUty, there are still some 

 dormant buds at the base. If it is necessary to retain the lateral, shorten the 



Pig. 81. Fig. 82. Fig- 83. 



Apricot laterals. 



Fig. 8t. 



new growth back beyond a fruit -bud and to a wood-bud. It should, however, 

 be^'cut back, as stated above, to force out new growth as illustrated m Figure 

 83,* the old portion " B '" is then removed at " a," when pruning in the following 

 wikter, and the new shoot " A " is pruned to a wood-bud at " b." After bearing 

 the lateral, " a " will begin to branch as illustrated in Figure 84, and it should 

 then be pruned as illustrated at " A." 



By constant attention, the usefulness of lateral spurs can be maintained 

 for long periods. Apricots in this State have reached the age of 60 years ; they are 

 therefore, long-lived trees. 



In many parts of Western Australia the apricot is a very misatisfactory cropper, 

 .and this, in my opinion, is largely due to the long, dry summer ; after bearing, 



