ANNUAL WINTER MEETING AT T\'ARKENSBURG. 193 



considered of much advantage. Elevations and ridges, where the ash, 

 linden and the oaks are mostly found growing, seem to contain all the 

 elements desired for the pear. 



The pear tree being an upright grower, the roots descend almost 

 straight, tar downward into the subsoils, while producing but few lat- 

 erals. It depends little on them for the supply of sood. 



Pears budded on the quince should have locations more sheltered 

 and soils somewhat richer, with a subsoil more open and porous, the 

 TOots of the tree in this condition (as a dwarf) being more fibrous and 

 nearer the surface. 



Cultivate the trees, but an excessive stimulus should be avoided. 

 After the orchard comes into bearing, its vigor can be kept up by top 

 dressings with manures, lime and ashes, and mulching with vegetable 

 litter. Plowing late in the fall will in many cases be very beneficial. 

 Every planter should be the judge to what extent his orchard may 

 need this, as no fixed rule can be given to meet all cases. 



In cultivating the pear tree it should never be done later than 

 May. If the grass and weeds become too tall and thick cut down with 

 a scythe ; they, in turn, become a good fertilizer. 



It will be seen by these remarks that in our choice of elevated, 

 perfectly'' drained sites, soils of a dry calcareous character and in mode 

 of cultivation, the aim is to produce an earlj^- summer's growth, a per- 

 fect ripening of the wood, and the flow of the sap entirely checked be- 

 fore the first cold changes come. The experience of most growers for 

 the past forty years has been, that where these conditions could be 

 attained, trees were less subject to blight. 



In cultivating our fruit trees during late summer a second annual 

 growth is formed, which often is continued by mild and rainy weather 

 far into the season, sudden severe changes occurring in the weather, 

 freezing the sap in their cells, causing them to contract, hindering the 

 further flow. The sap loses its consistency, becomes thick, sour and 

 stagnates in the tree. Seasons and conditions like these we believe 

 to be the very root of the disease — pear blight, the best authorities 

 agree in this theory — our own experience of twenty five years has 

 given reasons to confirm it. 



In training, a conic form is preferred, the limbs starting quite close 

 to the ground, the aim being to shade the trunk and larger limbs as 

 much as possible. 



We otten permit trees to grow into a bush, throwing up several 

 stems from the root, either pear or quince, thus inducing a larger 

 amount of wood growth from the roots and dividing its powers among 



H R— 13 



