RATIONAL FRUIT CULTURE 



CHAPTEE II. 



WOOD-GROWTH AND FRUIT BUDS. 



WE have seen that if a fruit tree is to come into bearing 

 early in its existence its supply of food must be mode- 

 rate in amount, otherwise it will keep on growing for 

 many years and not flower until the rate of growth slackens, 

 the artificial methods of checking growth being to graft on a 

 stock which tends to develop fine fibrous rather than long 

 thick roots, and afterwards to lift or root-prune. 



RIPENING OF THE WOOD. 



But Nature has also her own methods of control. Towards 

 the end of a fine summer the ground dries under the influence 

 of the sun's heat aiid of the reduced rainfall, and the effect 

 is intensified by the action of the strong sunlight and fresh 

 air on the foliage and bark. The food materials collected by 

 the roots are, therefore, lessened in quality, and altered in 

 quality — concentrated or thickened — conditions which favour 

 the formation of floWer-buds. This annual dryinij process is 

 called ripening of the wood. If, however, a tree has been 

 planted too deeply, or if its roots have been allowed to drop 

 down into the subsoil, the summer drought will have com- 

 paratively little effect on it, while if it is in the shade, or sur- 

 rounded closely by high trees or walls, so that the air cannot 

 circulate freely around it, the same thing will probably happen. 

 If Nature is to have a fair chance to help the gardener, he must 

 do all in his power to help her — by planting at the right depth 

 and in the right position, and by keeping the roots near the 



