CULTURE OF THE PEAR ON THE QUINCE STOCK. 



19 



Indeed, nothing benefits any delicate tree 

 so much, in this climate, as keeping the 

 roots in a uniform temperature, by this coat 

 of straw, laid on the surface of the ground. 



There are few trees such gross feeders 

 as the grape-vine. Soap-suds and liquid 

 manure, applied every week, will give an 

 amount of luxuriance and a weight of 

 fruit, on a single vine, that seems almost 

 incredible. I have seen an Isabella grape 

 produce 3,000 fine clusters of well ripened 

 fruit in a single season, by the liberal use 

 of manure and soap-suds from the weekly 

 wash. 



If you wish to bring fruit trees into bear- 

 ing at an early age, pinch off the ends of 

 the shoots now, and again at the end of 

 six weeks. This accumulates the sap, and 

 the surplus becomes fruit buds for the next 

 season. 



The secret of neatness and economy in 

 summer culture of a garden, is to stir the 

 ground often. It is a trifling task to de- 

 stroy an acre of weeds, if you take them 

 half an inch high ; but a very laborious un- 

 dertaking to get them subdued, if they 

 once are allowed to make strong roots, and 

 leaves of full size. 



CULTURE OF THE PEAR ON THE QUINCE STOCK. 

 BY THOMAS RIVERS, SAWBRIDGEWORTH, ENGLAND. 



"This is without contradiction the most 

 natural form of a great many trees ; the 

 success that has followed their cultivation 

 for many years proves the goodness of this 

 system of training."* I give the words of 

 a most experienced French gardener, and 

 can add my testimony as to the eligibility 

 of this mode of cultivating the pear in Eng- 

 land, and I cannot but express my surprise 

 that it has fallen to my lot to bring it be- 

 fore the public, practiced as it has been for 

 so many years on the continent. 



For gardens with a moderately deep and 

 fertile soil, pears budded on the quince 

 stock will be found to make by far the 

 most fruitful and quick-bearing trees ; in- 

 deed, if prepared by one or two removals, 

 their roots become a perfect mass of fibres, 

 and their stems and branches full of blos- 

 som-buds. Trees of this description may 

 be planted in the autumn, with a certainty 

 of having a crop of fruit the first season 



* D'Albret sur le taille des Arbres Fruitiers. Seventh 

 edition, l»4tj. 



after planting ; always recollecting that a 

 spring frost may destroy the blossom unless 

 the tree is protected. 



The most eligible season for planting 

 pyramidal pear trees is during the months 

 of November and December, but they may 

 be planted even until the end of March ; 

 in planting so late, no fruit must be ex- 

 pected the first season. If root-pruned py- 

 ramidal trees are planted, it will much as- 

 sist them if about half the blossom buds 

 are thinned out with sharp pointed scissors 

 or a pen-knife just before they open ; other- 

 wise these root pruned trees on the quince 

 stock are so full of them, that the tree re- 

 ceives a check if they are all allowed to 

 expand. About ten or fifteen fruit may be 

 permitted to ripen the first season ; the fol- 

 lowing season two or three dozen will be 

 as many as the tree ought to be allowed to 

 bring to perfection, increasing the number 

 as the tree increases in vigor, always re- 

 membering that a few full sized and well 

 ripened pears are to be preferred to a 



