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THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
good instances of this habit. It is pretty obvious then, I think, 
that the first act of disbudding should commence with these decoys. 
The season being young when this operation becomes requisite, all 
further disbudding should stand over until midsummer, when I hold 
it absolutely necessary to proceed in a progressive way, with the 
other portions of the tree. 
The next point is, to go over the whole of the leading shoots, 
and remove all over-luxuriant sprays, without exception ; leaving, 
perhaps, a couple of leaves at the base of each spray. The amount 
removed will in ordinary cases comprise about one-half of the 
young spray ; this, however, depends upon the character and age of 
the tree, for in the case of one old or hard-worked, I hold it essential 
to permit a much greater amount of shade through the instrumen- 
tality of new-made wood ; indeed close stopping of such trees would 
soon destroy them altogether. 
Exceptions must, however, be again made here, as to the habits 
of the tree in question ; for in running the eye over our orchard or 
kitchen garden fruits in general, two distinct groups will present 
themselves ; the one bearing in the main on natural spurs, the other 
chiefly on the young wood. These broad distinctions must of course 
be kept in view at all times. Again, even in one family — for 
instance the Apple — one kind will bear the finest fruit on last 
year’s wood ; and the fructification of such wood is in proportion to 
the amount of grossness. 
An illustration of this will be found in the Manks’ Codling. 
The Nonpareil class, on the contrary, generally produces on the 
spur. I am now, however, treating of over-luxuriance as an evil. 
This forms the rule, and requires most elucidation. To return, 
then, to my point of digression, the removal of all the over-luxuriant 
spray about midsummer will be found to control, in a very powerful 
degree, the under action of the root. Some of the embryo fruit- 
buds may be excited into wood, especially in showery weather; this, 
however, must be borne; for those that remain unexcited will be 
found much strengthened, and to develop a much more perfect 
blossom in the ensuing spring. 
We frequently see imperfectly-formed blossoms on tender fruit 
trees in the spring ; and why ? because the embryo blossom-bud 
never received its necessary amount of light during its organization. 
It is not so much heat, of which an increased amount is requisite, 
but light. Some good-natured country folks think this is carrying an 
idea too far ; rather too philosophical, they think. The writer, however, 
with all due respect, thinks differently. Instance theMelon ; it is very 
probable that the Persian Melons enjoy as much light in one day in 
their own climate, as those in the murky skies of Britain do in a 
week. To be sure a bright sunny day in our own climate is light 
enough for anything; but behold how many cloudy, drizzly, or rainy 
days may be placed against such a state of weather. The tender in- 
cipient buds of fruit trees, natives of brighter skies, become what is 
technically termed “ drawn ” when smothered with young spray, 
and hence the abortions and malformations of the succeeding spring. 
A midsummer’s disbudding will not, however, complete all that is 
