THE ANNUAL MEETING. ^31 



Kotliing less can be tolerated. 1 claim wo need not resort to these question- 

 able measures \Yhenever the tree looks too short or stubby or too rank and 

 climbing to suit an exacting eye the passing moment, but learn to wait, watch 

 and nourish ; give a cliance for accomplishing tlieir centenarian destiny, in- 

 stead of hastening them prematurely to the close of a brief career, — sickly and 

 precarious. Do we not often see a tree — even wliole orchards — dwarfed of 

 habit, crippled of strength, shortened of life and ])roductiveness, weakened of 

 resource and energies by injudicious pruning. The great sample pear trees 

 found here and tliere in jMichigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky, yield- 

 ing 70 to 140 bushels and upwards to the single crop per tree — authenticated 

 facts — are instances of nature taking her own course in the formation and 

 growth of trees — provided always, of course, right soils and sustenance. 



We would say, therefore, let up a bit on dame nature ; let her have her 

 head; give her a chance to show wdiat she can do for us in the pear orcliard. 

 Why out and carve continually when we are but bunglers at best? We justly 

 fear the pear tree blight ; but at the first appearance of a black spot in bark — 

 liarmless, or readily cured by slitting — or a twig bored, burned, or blighted, we 

 fall to cutting. And in the case of varieties of the towering habit, it is doubt- 

 less quicker and easier to cut and shorten down at one blow than to bend and 

 tie, to pendant form as we recommend ; but the latter we deem far preferable, 

 putting the branches as it does in the best shape for encouraging and sustain- 

 ing the desired productions. This is the utmost wo can advise in this direc- 

 tion. 



It is undeniable, that a greater amount and proportion of failure and disap- 

 pointment have been suffered in attempts, at pear culture, than any other 

 branch of pomology in the United States. Yet with a better method of 

 pruning, a wise choice as to climate and correct location and selection, we may 

 hope the Eubicon is crossed. At least the only exceptions we have yet seen in 

 this country from a lamentable degree of failure in efforts to anv considerable 

 extent in this line and in these days, are in cases managed as we have indi- 

 cated above, though details are difficult to give. But the principle is, holding 

 back — trying like the good homoeopathist, to do no harm. Careful watching 

 and patient waiting is the password ; rub or break out superfluous buds and 

 shoots, bend branches to forms for production of fruit buds, though not 

 hastening too early bearing for its constitution by pruning or other manipula- 

 tion. Such are our suggestions and practice. The lessons we have learned 

 from what we have seen and. experienced teach us to go slow in pruning the 

 pear, withholding the knife wherever consistent; but if there be diseased. 

 wood it should be carefully taken out and burned ; but far better, let there be 

 none, — the principle being, prevention is bettor than cure. 



In cultivation, I intend stopping the cultivation early in August with sowing 

 the land to r3'e, cultivating the same in the last time of stirring the soil for the 

 season for plowing under the next spring late. I have thus sown this season a 

 fifty-acre pear orchard, and aim to plow under about June 1st; then plant in 

 potatoes, beans, or such hoed crops as w^ill allow of rye sowing early in August. 

 This I would continue year by year. 



TJie discussion here closed and by special request the society next proceeded 

 to discuss 



