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PINCHING 
is the operation by which strong and vigorous shoots, which are out- 
running slower growing ones, are set back in order to give those 
other shoots a chance of catching up to the stronger ones, or of 
diverting the flow of sap into other channels where it is wanted. 
It consists in suppressing, by nipping between the finger and 
thumb, the tender growth of terminal soots, without, for that 
purpose, removing much or any of the foliage at all. It is by 
pinching that trees, when in their nursery beds, are given the shape 
which it is meant they should assume before they are sent out to 
customers to be planted. 
Pinching is often practised in the summer for promoting the 
formation of fruit buds. 
In pinching back side shoots, intended to carry fruit buds, care 
must be taken not to shorten them too severely; it is not too much 
to allow them three or four inches. If pinched too short, the little 
butt or shoot either ceases to grow and dies, leaving a vacant space 
on the branch, or else, a year or two after this excessive pinching, 
two small basal buds push forth on each side of the suppressed 
shoot; these will ultimately blossom, but this will involve the loss 
of another season or two, or, again, premature shoots will grow, 
which will likewise be a longer time setting to fruit, and are not 
likely to be so fruitful as better constituted shoots properly pinched 
would be, as already referred to and illustrated under Pruning. 
When pinching back, and especially where the tree is full of 
running sap and of vigour, the shoots, instead of being cut or 
nipped clean off, are half broken through, and the terminal end left 
hanging. In this way the tension of the sap is partly diverted to 
half nourish the broken part, and the pressure is not strong enough 
to stimulate the growth of side shoots on that half-broken spur. At 
winter pruning that spur will presént the appearance shown on the 
figure, the hanging piece will be excised, and the spur below will be 
stocked with fruit-bearing buds. These, after they have perfected 
their internal organs—a process which, according to sorts of fruit 
trees, takes from one to three years to accomplish—will, in due 
course, blossom and carry fruit. 
DISBUDDING 
consists in rubbing off with the thumb any misplaced buds or tender 
shoot. : 
Pinching and disbudding are the most rational methods of 
gradually directing the growth of trees and vines, thus avoiding, at 
the time of winter pruning, the severe cutting of much unnecessary 
wood, on which some of the plant’s best energy may have been 
spent during the growing months. 
Indeed, if literally carried out, there would be little winter 
pruning left to be done, except shortening the leading branches of 
