THE APRICOT. 



197 



laid in between the principal branches. In the 

 second summer, from the base of each of these 

 shoots another should be trained. Or instead 

 of originating on the base of the shoot first laid 

 in, a succession shoot may sometimes be ob- 

 tained from the branch itself. When the shoot 

 first laid in is in the second summer of its age, 

 a young shoot to replace it will be growing. If 

 considered advisable to retain both of these for 



another summer, no young shoot for succession 

 will require to be grown in that summer: but 

 if only one be retained, then a succession shoot 

 must be encouraged. 



In addition to the shoots to be managed as 

 above, spurs will form along the branches. A 

 good number of these should be permitted to 

 form on all the main branches, which would 

 otherwise remain naked and unfruitful. From 



Fig. 1003.— Apricot, Fan-trained, on South Wall, outdoors. 



these spurs, however, long shoots ought not to 

 be allowed to grow. The young shoots should 

 be pinched or cut back to three or four buds 

 when only a few inches long. 



Disbudding is an operation which may be 

 treated of in connection with summer pruning. 

 It consists in removing shoots when they are 

 quite young, chiefly those in front of the 

 branches, where they would otherwise form 

 useless breast-wood. The operation should be 

 first performed in the upper and more vigorous 

 parts of the tree, and after a short interval 

 another portion should be removed. The finger 

 and thumb only ought to be used when the 

 shoot is in a very young herbaceous state; but 

 as soon as it becomes somewhat woody, the 

 knife must be used, otherwise the bark is apt 

 to be torn, and gumming will result. 



spurs. 



a proper degree of vigoui 



The foreright shoots having been gradually 

 removed, superfluous shoots situated elsewhere 

 should either be cut clean out, or shortened for 

 If all the branches are maintained in 

 none being allowed 

 to become either too weak or too strong— and 

 this will not be the case if care be taken that 

 the different branches are furnished with about 

 an equal amount of foliage — the sap will be 

 equally distributed, and, as a consequence, the 

 tree will be healthy and fruitful, other circum- 

 stances being favourable. 



Thinning the fruit should be done, to a certain 

 extent, when it is very young, in -which state 

 the thinnings may be used for tarts. The final 

 thinning, that is, the reduction of the crop to 

 safe limits, is best deferred until the fruits have 

 stoned. Large kinds should be allowed twice 



