26 



FRUIT TREES. 



wood-buds, we deprive those parts of tlie leaves that 

 the buds would have developed, and in consequence of 

 doing so, the sap flows there in less abundance, and 

 the vegetation is diminished. By allowing, on the 

 contrary, a considerable number of wood-producing 

 buds to remain upon the weak parts, it will become 

 covered with a large number of leaves, and an abun- 

 dant vegetation. 



Depress the strong parts of the tree, and elevate the 

 weak branehes. The sap on its way to the roots acts 

 with greater force upon the branch extensions, in 

 proportion to their being in a vertical direction ; the 

 branches will therefore push out with more force in 

 the weak parts that have been raised nearer to a 

 vertical line, and the numerous leaves that they will 

 develop will draw the sap in greater quantity from the 

 strong parts that have been inclined towards a hori- 

 zontal direction. 



Suppress the useless buds upon the strong parts as 

 early as possible, and practise this suppressio7i as late 

 as possible upon the weak parts. The fewer shoots 

 upon the branch, the fewer will be the leaves, and of 

 course the smaller the quantity of sap that will be 

 drawn there. By allowing the shoots to remain upon 

 the weak part as long as possible, the sap will be 

 drawn there in greater abundance, and when they 

 come to be cut off*, the sap, having set in to that side, 

 will still continue to flow there. This is only appli- 

 cable to espaliers, and particularly to peaches, from 

 which it is often necessary to take a number of the 

 buds. 



