Bui. 1477, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 
Plate 38 
i 
Growth and Fruiting Habits of Washington and Yellow Egg Plums 
in Relation to Pruning and to Soil and Other Conditions 
A. — A portion of a vigorous old Washington plum tree which has been headed back and 
thinned out each winter. Careful thinning of these twigs is needed to reduce the crop 
of fruit and prevent shading. Note the numerous twigs and shoots. (Ccurtland, Calif.) 
B. — Branch of moderately vigorous Yellow Egg plum tree which has not been cut back 
recently. The current season's growth at the end of the branch is short. Below this, 
spurs are forming on the 1-year-old wood. The most vigorous twigs on the 2-year-old 
wood are making some terminal growth. The short ones are bearing fruit, but have no 
leaves and will die after the fruit ripens. The spurs along the wood, 3and4yearsold, died 
after fruiting 
C. — Slender fruiting branches and twigs of Yellow Egg plum which have been cut back to 
encourage growth of new twigs. Note the fruit at leafless nodes and the absence of 
spurs, indicating the lack of a tendency to produce spurs on these vigorous branches 
D.— A 9-year-old Yellow Egg plum tree on fertile irrigated soil. The new shoots have been 
headed back each winter to encourage the growth of fruiting branches and twigs. An 
abundance of vigorous fruiting wood has been developed. (Courtland, Calif.) 
