PRUNING AND TRAINING. 



35 



The fruit and the branches have the property of 

 drawing to themselves the sap from the roots. If, 

 therefore, the shoots are numerous and strong, it fol- 

 lows that they absorb nearly all the sap, to the injury 

 of the fruit, which remains small. This explains how 

 it occurs that, other things being equal, fruits are 

 smaller upon vigorous trees than upon weaker ones ; 

 and we also understand from this how it is that, the 

 growth of the fruit being determined by the sap, the 

 fruit becomes much larger if the sap flows to it freely. 



The following operations have for their object to 

 increase the size of the fruit : — 



Graft upon stocks of a less vigorous species than the 

 scions. If the stocks are too vigorous, the shoots will 

 absorb nearly the whole of the sap, to the injury of the 

 fruit. Pears grafted upon quinces, apples upon paradise 

 stocks, produce, other things being equal, larger fruit 

 than when grafted upon pear stocks. 



Ap2)li/ to the trees a suitable winter pruning ; that is, 

 do not leave upon them more branches, or parts of branches, 

 than are requisite for the symmetrical development of the 

 tree, and the formation of fruit^hearing branches. This 

 tends to concentrate the sap upon the parts retained, 

 and consequently upon the fruit. Trees left to their 

 natural growth always produce smaller fruit than those 

 submitted to suitable pruning. 



Make fruit-spurs to grow close upon the branches, by 

 pruning them as short as possible.. By this means the 

 fruit will be attached very close to the wood, will re- 

 ceive the direct influence of the sap, and acquire a 

 large development. 



