THE PKACTICE OP PRUNING. 



387 



branches, when the. former one would in all probability have been wholly- 

 unproductive of fruit the following year." 



The Apeicot-ieeb. 



The accompanying out represents a portion of an Apricot branch, con- 

 sisting of one and two-year old wood ; the former marked 1, the latter 2. 

 a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, a, are 

 blossom-buds ; b, b, b, b, b, b, 

 are wood-buds. 



It win be observed that 

 blossom-buds are produced 

 on the young wood and on 

 short spurs on the two-year 

 old wood ; they are also pro- 

 duced on such spurs on wood 

 three, four, or more years 

 old. The principal branches 

 must therefore be trained 

 wider apart than those of 

 Peach and Ifeotarine-trees, 

 but in other respects they 

 should be regulated by the 

 same principles, which need 

 not be repeated. The main 

 branches of the Apiioot may 

 be fifteen inches apart. 



The spaces between the 

 main branches should be oc- 

 cupied by younger wood, 

 which may be allowed to 

 bear for several years, and 

 before it is removed, a young 

 shoot should be encouraged 

 for succession. Shorten the 

 shoots more or less according 

 to their strength, the weak- 

 est requiring to be most 

 shortened, but seldom to less 

 than six. inches, whilst the 

 stronger may be left as long 

 as eighteen inches. A shoot 

 not wanted to be laid in may 

 be shortened at the winter 

 pruning, to form a spur; and when the spurs extend too far they should be 

 cut back to buds near their bases. 



Fig. LXXVII,— Branch of Aprioot-tree. 



C 2 



