BUSH FRUIT PRUNING 



291 



or otherwise inferior shoots from that point being cut out, 

 and lush shoots on other parts of the plants shortened to 

 two or three buds, so the bush may be kept well within 

 bounds and fruit spurs be developed from them. 



The principle involved is to have an annual renewal 

 of bearing wood in sufficient amount to give good crops. 

 In cool climates 

 and situations, such 

 as partially shaded 

 gardens and be- 

 neath grapevines 

 trained on Munson 

 and Caywood trel- 

 lises (Figs. 271,278) 

 the bushes may 

 be given open 

 heads, but in warm 

 situations the heads 

 should be more 

 dense. 



Sometimes the 

 gooseberry is 

 trained in tree form 

 with six or eight to 

 ten or a dozen 

 frame limbs, the 

 lowest of which 

 may be a foot or 18 

 inches from the 

 ground. These are 

 headed back to 6 or 

 8 inches and al- 

 lowed to develop 

 one to three or four side shoots, which in turn are also 

 shortened. The method is too fussy for commercial prac- 

 tice in America. In England, where the fruit is to be 

 exhibited in the gooseberry contests, the tree form and 



FIG. 249 

 BLACKBERRY CANE AND MAIN BRANCH 

 This cane was cut in July or August at about 

 30 inches from the ground. It sent out laterals 

 which winterkilled somewhat. Canes so treated 

 rarely do as well as normal or as pinched ones. 

 Note the prominent buds. 



