34 TiiinD Annual Repoist 



earlier in the spring and keep everlastingly at it and in this 

 way we can get a satisfactory growth. 



Do not try to make them grow later than they would if left 

 alone normally. This is about July ist. They will respond to 

 later cultivation, but this late growth is undesirable as the wood 

 does not have time enough to thoroughly ripen before cold 

 weather. It is more apt to winter-kill and more susceptible to 

 disease. 



3. Pnining — The style or manner of pruning is not especially 

 different from that practiced in apple culture. An open toj) is 

 desirable because it gives a better chance to fight "pear blight." 

 To obtain this form of top the central branch is pruned off en- 

 tirely, and three or four of the best lateral branches left and these 

 headed back to sixteen to eighteen inches. Each succeeding 

 year's growth should be headed back to some definite length, 

 say fourteen inches, and the top thinned out to suit the individual. 

 This induces the main branches to grow thicker in proportion to 

 their length than they otherwise would and enables them to bear 

 up their load of fruit in later years, especially in varieties that 

 tend to bear fruit on the end of branches. 



It is best to keep all fruit spurs pruned off the main branches 

 because the blossom is the starting point of pear blight and, 

 should it enter at such a point, the whole branch must be sacri- 

 ficed to stamp it out. 



4. Prnit — The best fruit will be obtained by thinning so 

 that no two touch each other. This will also do away with much 

 trouble with codling moth as the shape of the pear gives a bet- 

 ter lodging place for the eggs of the moth in a cluster of pears 

 than in a cluster of apples. 



5. Diseases — The same diseases and insects attack the pear 

 as the apple and are treated in the same way. The most trouble- 

 some is pear blight (Baccillus amylovorous). It is the most de- 

 structive disease known to the pear industry and is most preva- 

 lent in the south and west, where in many instances it destroys 

 whole orchards. 



It is a bacterial disease that is spread mainly by bees and 

 other insects during the blossoming season. It enters the blos- 

 som and spreads to the twig, branch and trunk. The affected 

 parts dying as fast as the disease spreads. The leaves and bark 

 immediately turn dark brown or almost black. The leaves do 

 not fall off and this helps us to see it wherever it is present. 

 Sometimes it attacks young tender twigs as well as blossoms. It 

 lives over winter in the branches and in the spring the bark 

 splits and a sticky exudation starts which attracts the bees. 



The only known remedy is to cut it out and burn it. Care 

 should be taken to cut several inches below any appearance of 



