552 



SUMMER PRUNING DWARF PEARS. 



as appear likely to become too strong for 

 the others, are stopped. M. Cappe pinches 

 all the young shoots, not required to form 

 branches, tvhen in a very young state ; when 

 they have scarcely pushed a finger's length, 

 they are shortened to about 1 inch, or from 

 that to \h inch. The portion left forms the 

 basis of one or more fruit buds, bearing 

 fruit in the following season, or a spur on 

 which blos-ora buds are formed for bearing 

 in the second season. 



" The advantages consequent on properly 

 managing fruit trees with regard to summer 

 pinching, are so important that attention to 

 the subject cannot be too strongly urged. 

 By the operation, the shoots necessary to 

 be retained have the great advantage of 

 more light and air than would be the case 

 if crowded by a multiplicity of laterals, re- 

 tained till the time of winter pruning, when 

 they must obviously be cut off, either so 

 close as to leave no bud to push, or short- 

 ened to within a few eyes of their bases. 

 In the former case the branch is left naked : 

 in the latter, when the tree is sufficiently 

 vigorous, the eyes left generally push other 

 shoots, to be again cut back in winter ; and 

 thus crops of shoots are annually produced, 

 instead of fruit for many years, or until the 

 tree approaches the state of old age. 



" The plan which M. Cappe pursues suc- 

 ceeds admijabiy in the climate of Paris. 

 The fruit on the pyramid pear trees under 

 his management is stated on competent au- 

 thority to have been last year exceedingly 

 abundant, large and fine. This season the 

 trees are healthy and vigorous, and well 

 furnished with blossi-m buds. It may be 

 said that the generally dry, clear air of 

 Paris is very different from the cloudy and 

 moist climate of many parts of Britain ; the 

 one being favorable for the formation of 

 fruit buds, whilst the other favors the 

 growth of wood and leaves ; and therefore, 

 circumstances being different, the same 



practice may not be equally proper for both. 

 There are, moreover, instances of circum- 

 stances differing so widely as to require op- 

 posite methods of culture. But this does 

 not hold good as regards summer pinching. 

 In England the drawback is a dull atmos- 

 phere ; the shoots and foliage want more 

 air and light. Summer pinching affords 

 this, inasmuch as it prevents the crowding 

 and shading of wood and leaves necessary 

 to be retained, by that which is superfluous ; 

 and therefore it must be considered of still 

 greater utility in dull climates than in bright, 

 more necessary in England than in France. 

 " Supposing the branches of a tree are 

 properly thinned and regulated at the win- 

 ter pruning, and that so far as they extend, 

 their number is quite sufficient for the space 

 they occupy ; presuming, also, that the tree 

 is in good health, a number of laterals are 

 sure to spring. They are, of course, super- 

 fluous ; and every one of them should be 

 pinched as already mentioned. If the last 

 year's shoot has been shortened at the win- 

 ter pruning, then, besides the terminal one 

 on the part left, one, two, or three next to 

 it are almost sure to push ; and these M. 

 Cappe commences to check by pinching 

 when about three inches in length ; but 

 those nearer the base of the shoot he al- 

 lows to grow till they attain the length of 

 six or eight inches before he shortens them. 

 The terminal bud is of course allowed to 

 go on for the prolongation of the branch. 

 It frequently happens in France, and the 

 liability will be still more in the climate of 

 England, that after a shoot is pinched back, 

 the newly formed buds on the part left will 

 push a secondary shoot in the same season. 

 When this is the case with those under the 

 care of M. Cappe, he also pi7iches these se- 

 condary shoots to an inch or an inch and a 

 half from where they originate. They 

 rarely push again ; but if they do, their 

 growths are again reduced as before. 



