G3 
ami the next thing I would suggest, is to commence a stopping 
or pinching of all the superior parts of the tree, commencing 
with the extremities, and proceeding progressively downwards, 
and suffering the operation to extend over a month or more. 
This we have long practised, and find it important. It ac- 
complishes three very essential points, with most of the tender 
fruit trees. First, it has a continual tendency to equalize the 
sap. Secondly, it increases the action of the leaves in the 
neighbourhood of the fruit, by thoroughly feeding their sap 
vessels. And, thirdly, it tends to check an over-late root- 
action, which is somewhat antagonistic in northern climates, to 
what is, by practical men, termed “ripening the wood.” 
1292 Ripening Period. Under this division of our subject, we 
wish to be understood as including the ripening of the wood 
as well as the fruit. Indeed, with regard to artificially trained 
trees, of tender habits, the former is even of more importance 
than the latter ; inasmuch as not only the next year’s produce 
depends in the main on this process being duly completed, but 
the very stability and permanency of the tree itself. Having 
described the modes of disbudding and stopping gross shoots, 
or robbers, as they are called, we will assume that we have 
arrived at the middle of July. By this period trained trees, 
in general, will be found to have produced three-fourths of 
their annual increase of wood, and the impulse to further ex- 
tension will be much lessened, in consequence of the solar heat 
and light having, in a high degree, induced the elaborative 
process. Added to this, the trees become liable to temporary 
drought at the root ; which performs at this period a very neces- 
sary part, and produces a check of a far more genuine character 
than either root cutting, or ringing. This period then should be 
seized on, especially if the weather be dry, in order to reduce 
the whole of the superfluous spray, and to select, and nail or tie 
down, in a careful way, the whole of the young wood intended as 
permanent. As, however, from fresh excitement, by showery 
weather or otherwise, there will still be danger of those trees 
which produce their fruit on spurs, bursting some of their 
embryo blossom buds, it is necessary to retain a portion of the 
unnecessary shoots for a week or two, when the whole of the 
superfluous summer growth should be removed, which process 
shall be explained in the next section. The Pear and the Plum 
272. ACCTARIUM. 
