Ill 



Stopping the shoots in August, about the last week, 

 is a very inportant operation. It is done by pinching 

 off the leading bud of each, and thus preventing their 

 increase of length concentrates the sap upon the 

 wood, buds, &c. already formed, enables them to be 

 more perfectly developed, and, being done late in the 

 season, there is no danger of more laterals being in- 

 duced. If the stopping is done too early, or if all the 

 shoots are stopped at one time, laterals will be pro- 

 duced and the organizable matter be diminished from, 

 instead of concentrated on, the bearing-wood of next 

 year. 



Autumn Pruning may be performed at the fall of 

 the leaf, and thence, according to some professional 

 writers, at any time in mild weather until spring. 

 Let it be remembered that the earlier it is done in the 

 autumn, the greater strength is given to the remain- 

 ing shoots. It should be completed in February or 

 early in March, before the blossom-buds are consider- 

 ably advanced, which are distinguishable by being 

 round, plump, and prominent, while the leaf and 

 shoot-buds are oblong and narrow. Retain, in all 

 parts of the tree, a competent supply of such regular 

 grown shoots of last year as are apparently fruitful in 

 blossom-buds. Most part of these should be short- 

 ened, not indiscriminately, but according to their 

 strength and situation ; the very strong shoots should 

 be left longer, being topped about one-fourth or one- 



