72 



FRUIT TREES. 



twisting. These have given place to the following 

 series of shoots : — The less vigorous, or of medium 

 vigour, resemble those of fig. 58. These are broken 

 off at A, about three inches from their base, and 

 immediately below a bud. The fracture fatigues the 

 branch by producing a contused and torn place. There 

 is then less probability that the lower buds will 

 develop into vigorous shoots ; the small piece left 

 above the upper bud will still further favour the set 

 to fruit by allowing the sap to expend part of its 

 action upon the issue at the end of the branch. 



The other more vigorous branches, that have been 

 repeatedly pinched during the summer, now resemble 

 fig. 59. These should receive the partial fracture (B), 

 as shown in the figure. If broken completely, the 

 sap, being more abundant than in the other shoots, 

 would be confined in too narrow limits, and make the 

 lower buds, that should set for fruit, push out into 

 vigorous shoots. The partial fracture affords a suffi- 

 cient issue for the sap, while enough is retained to 

 enable the lower buds to develop a rosette of leaves. 



The shoots that have been twisted during the pre- 

 ceding summer, present the appearance of fig. 60. 

 They must be submitted to the complete fracture at A, 

 if they are of less or medium vigour, or to A and 

 complete at B if very vigorous. 



The branches we have now spoken of are the only 

 ones that ought to be found upon the extension, fig. 

 46, if the operations of pinching and twisting have 

 been duly performed in the preceding summer. But 

 it may happen that some of the shoots have been 



