CHAPTER IV 



GROWTH OF THE TREE AND THE FORMING OF 



FRUIT BUDS 



A thorough knowledge of tree growth, including fruit spurs, 

 fruit and leaf buds, is necessary in order properly to spray and 

 prune the trees, thin the fruits, and fertilize and manage the 

 soil. 



Procedure : 



(a) Consider different kinds of tree growth. 



(6) Determine when length growth ceases. 



(c) Determine when growth in thickness ceases. 



(d) Study and determine the location of leaf buds, fruit buds, 



and fruit spurs. 



(e) Consider the fruiting habits of different fruits. 



(/) Determine the time and manner of fruit-bud formation. 



(a) Consider Different Kinds of Tree Growth, Growth 

 takes place following the dormant period in the form of: (1) 

 new leafy shoots over the tree; (2) blossoms and fruit forma- 

 tion; (3) new spurs (with such fruits as the apple, pear, cherry, 

 plum, etc.) ; (4) an increase in growth of the old spurs; (5) bud 

 formation; (6) an increase in the circumference of the limbs, 

 branches, roots, and trunk; (7) new root growth. 



The large number of new shoots over the tree is the most 

 easily seen evidence of growth. The shoots growing from the 

 terminal buds are usually called terminal growths. Thus one 

 often hears growers remark that their trees have made as much 

 as 6, 10, 12, or more inches of terminal growth during a single 

 growing season. The number and lengths of terminal growths 



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