13G 
THE FLORIST AND FOMOLOGIST. 
[ September, 
like manner, reasoning by analogy, we are justi¬ 
fied in concluding that when we deprive a tree 
of a great portion of luxuriant leaf-growth, the 
roots are affected in a similar way. There¬ 
fore, to put theory into practice, it is well in 
the early stages of a tree so favourably planted, 
to encourage a free growth in the branches for 
a time, in order that there may be a corre¬ 
sponding production of roots; and this en¬ 
couragement may be continued until the ter¬ 
mination of the first or summer growth, which 
will generally happen early in July. After this 
there comes a period of rest or of stagnation in 
growth, which is also about the stoning-time in 
fruit trees of this class. Later on, the trees 
break into a second or autumn growth, which 
is seldom of much use, except to fill up vacan¬ 
cies, for although the wood thus formed often 
produces blossoms freely, yet, owing to the 
incompleteness of the ripening process, these 
blossoms are generally abortive. 
As, then, the growth made in the summer is 
that which is to be depended upon for the 
production of fruit, it becomes obvious that 
this early growth should be freely encouraged, 
so that when the summer stagnation in growth 
occurs, the operator may have a good choice of 
fruitful wood to lay in, to keep the trees well 
furnished, and in sufficient quantity to absorb, 
in its full ripening development, the most of 
the sap sent up in the autumn. The late 
growth then becomes a matter of little conse¬ 
quence ; the more so, as the shoots which are 
not required for laying-in are available, in the 
case of the Apricot, for the formation of fruit¬ 
bearing spurs, and will greatly assist in the 
absorption of the autumn flow of sap. 
Apricots may be trained on the same system 
as the Peach, that is, to produce their fruit on 
the young wood of the previous year, and in 
this way the finest fruit may generally be ob¬ 
tained. When this method is exclusively fol¬ 
lowed, disbudding must be commenced early, 
and the young superabundant shoots entirely 
removed, without any reference to spur treat¬ 
ment, exactly in the same manner as is 
practised in the case of the Peach; but it is 
justifiable to nail in a goodly number of shoots, 
first to give the operator a good choice of wood 
for the next year’s produce, and next for the 
twofold purpose of checking a too luxuriant 
growth in particular shoots, and as aids to a 
free formation of roots. As a general rule, 
however, a combination of the two methods 
is usually followed, as it ensures a greater num¬ 
ber of fruit, which, although smaller, are very 
useful for the many purposes to which this 
valuable fruit is applied. In carrying out this 
latter system, early disbudding should only be 
practised upon the foreright and ill-placed 
shoots, leaving the remainder to grow on 
without any check until the end of June or 
beginning of July, by wdiich time, in most 
seasons, the summer growth will be perfected, 
and the operator may at once commence to lay 
in the necessary amount of shoots for the fur¬ 
nishing of the tree. As there will be a good 
choice, the strongest should not by any means 
be selected, but rather medium-sized and fruit¬ 
ful-looking wood. The remaining shoots are 
available for the formation of spurs, and as in 
Apricots these shoots are often very thickly 
crowded together, it is advisable that a pro¬ 
portion of them should be entirely removed, 
this affording an opportunity for cutting closely 
off any large ones which show signs of extra 
luxuriance, and for judiciously thinning-out 
the remainder. The shoots intended for spurs 
should then be shortened to five or six perfect 
leaves, taking great care to retain those leaves, 
as upon their preservation depends the forma¬ 
tion of strong fruit-buds. 
I recommend the training to the wires or 
walls, as the case may be, a good supply of 
the summer growth, and leaving the spurs 
rather longer than will be required for the next 
season, because the trees, if at all vigorous, are 
certain to develop a strong autumn growth, and 
the more channels there are provided for carry¬ 
ing off this superfluous energy, the less likeli¬ 
hood will there be of starting into growth any 
of the buds which ought to form the fruit- 
buds for the next season. 
This practice is more applicable and neces¬ 
sary for young and vigorous trees than for 
older trees in full bearing, for young trees are 
apt to be over-vigorous and throw out coarse 
luxuriant shoots; and this method of permit¬ 
ting the whole of the shoots, with few ex¬ 
ceptions, to grow on undisturbed until the end 
of the first or summer growth, is calculated to 
check over-luxuriance, and induce a more fruit¬ 
ful habit in the wood; whereas, older trees, 
in the production of blossoms and fruit, go 
through an exhaustive process which acts as a 
check sufficiently powerful to prevent over¬ 
luxuriance of growth ; and for this reason, in 
their case, an earlier resort may be had with 
advantage to disbudding and stopping.— John 
Cox, Redleaf. 
