35 



numerous spur shoots, on which alone flowers are produced 

 in the case of the apple and pear. In some of our orna- 

 mental shrubs, however, such as Guelder Rose, Weigelia 

 and Forsythia, flowers- are borne on the shoots of the pre- 

 vious year, and it is consequently a mistake to cut these 

 back in the autumn, as is so often done thereby reducing 

 the beaut;/ of these shrubs. Old wood, on the other hand, 

 and branches which have already flov/ered, should be 

 pruned av/ay at the end of the summer. Some plants 

 which are nearly related, differ in the m.anner in which 

 they bear their flowers and fruit, and it is therefore very 

 important before pruning to know^ exactly on which kind 

 of branches the flowers will be borne. For instance, the 

 Morello Cherry bears its flowers all along the shoots pro- 

 duced during the previous sumxmer, while others flov/er 

 at the base of the shoots on short spurs. These kinds 

 must therefore be pruned differently from the former. A 

 similar difference is found in the case of currants. Black 

 Currants flower all along the shoots formed in the pre- 

 vious summ.er, while Red Currants produce their fruits on 

 small spur shoots found on older wood. 



We must distinguish between the methods causing the 

 production of flovver buds as described above, and prac- 

 tice — such as forcing, which has for its object to cause an 

 early unfolding of the same. Unless bulbs or aerial buds 

 already contain the rudiments of flow^ers no amount of 

 forcing will cause these to be formed. The application 

 of moist heat, often m faintly lighted pits, is indeed 

 inimical to the production of flower-forming substances 

 and promotes vegetative growlh rather than flower pro- 

 duction. On the other hand, if flower buds are present 

 their expansion can be materially accelerated. By these 

 means flowers can be obtained in mid-v\anter when they 

 will be particularly appreciated. }Jost storage organs, 

 whether tubers, bulbs, or winter buds, require to pass 

 through a resting period before they enter upon a new 

 period of growth. Various methods can be adopted there- 

 fore to accelerate either the process of ripening the buds 

 or of reawakening the dormant structures. While dr3mess 

 promotes the former, heat and moisture effect the latter. 

 It has been found however that the resting period can be 

 shortened by various mieans. For example particular 

 varieties of potato, which will not sprout in the autumn 

 and cannot therefore be used for the culture of earlv 



