272 The Commercial Apple Industry 



on one-year-old wood, but on the side of the shoots instead 

 of at the tips. Spurs are nothing more than very short 

 branches on which terminal fruiting buds are borne every 

 alternate year, under favorable conditions. These buds 

 are usually developed from branches two years and older. 

 If fruit-spurs are properly cared for, they may live and 

 produce fruit-buds in alternate seasons for at least eight 

 or ten years. 



All lateral buds of the shoots of any one season do not 



develop into spurs the following year. Some of them grow 



out into new or branch shoots, many others remain dormant 



Spurs are largely developed from the large, plump, vigor- 



x ous lateral buds. 



Having developed a large number of spurs evenly dis- 

 tributed throughout the tree, it is absolutely essential to 

 conserve this fruiting wood. In a great many cases, the 

 fruiting machinery toward the center of a tree fails to 

 produce fruit. This is due principally to the lack of sun- 

 shine and air, two factors on which, a spur is entirely 

 dependent for its ability to function. The pruning, then, 

 should be with the idea of leaving spurs distributed 

 throughout the entire tree and of getting plenty ofWnlight 

 and air to each individual spur. This can be accomplished 

 by thinning out as opposed to heading back. It permits 

 more light to percolate through the tree and gives the 

 leaves in the center a better chance to manufacture the food 

 materials necessary for the formation of large strong fruit- 

 buds. 



Changing system of pruning. 



After the form of a tree has once been established, it is 

 not considered advisable to change its type unless its form 



