154 



THE GAEDENEE'S ASSISTANT. 



as many. They should be shortened at the 

 winter pruning, and, on the portions left, fruit- 



Fig. 950.— Fruit-spurs of Plum. 



buds will form or shoots push (fig. 950). In the 

 latter case pinching must be resorted to. 



When spurs grow too far from the wall they 

 must be cut back; but those on the lower 

 branches should be allowed to extend a little 

 more than those on the upper side, in order 

 that as much, or rather more, foliage may be 

 in connection with the lower branches as 

 there is on the upper; for, otherwise, most 

 of the sap would be drawn to the latter, and 

 the lower branches would ultimately perish. 

 In proportion to the equal distribution of the 

 sap, so will be the health, duration, and fruit- 

 fulness of the tree; and the sap can only be 

 equally distributed by each branch being fur- 

 nished with an equal amount of foliage. Where 

 any shoots give indications of excessive vigour, 

 they should be early kept in check. The young 

 summer shoots in the upper part of the tree 

 should receive their summer pruning before 

 those in the lower part. Frequently the shoots 

 in the central part of fan-trained trees are in- 

 clined to become excessively vigorous. As they 

 cannot well be much inclined from their up- 

 right position without crowding those on the 



sides, their vigour may be considerably re- 

 pressed by pinching, or nicely cutting out 

 the growing point with a sharp penknife. 

 This will cause some delay in the progress 

 of the shoot, and consequently in the produc- 

 tion of leaves; those already formed will, how- 

 ever, become larger than if the above operation 

 had not been performed. 



When the horizontal mode of training is 

 adopted, whether on walls or espaliers, the first 

 course should be 1 foot from the ground, and 

 the others 9 inches apart. Care, however, must 

 be taken to originate the branches 4 or 5 inches 

 below the horizontal line along which they are 

 intended to be trained. If this be done, the 

 branches will not be so liable to die as when 

 they were taken at right angles from the up- 

 right stem, which in training stone-fruit-trees 

 should never be the case. 



Root-lifting. — Plums, wdien planted in rich 

 soil, are likely to grow over-luxuriantly, and 

 to bear little or no fruit. To remedy this, 

 they should be lifted and replanted about the 

 end of October. This checks the rank growth 

 and induces the formation of fruit-buds. Trees 

 when once brought into bearing condition 

 rarely give further trouble; but, should they 

 still be unfruitful, lift them again the follow- 

 ing autumn and mix some lime rubble with the 

 soil when replanting. 



The roots of the Plum run near the surface (see 

 fig. 951), and on this account the ground must 

 either be dug every year or not at all. Trees 



Fig. 951.— Root system of a well-managed Plum. 



have been known to thrive very well where the 

 ground was regularly dug for vegetable crops; 

 but on its being left undug for two years, the 



