THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Pear—continued. 
has been made. This would be unavoidable, and a mere 
furnishing of the wall would be the chief result, with 
what fruit the untoward circumstances allowed. 
Fan-training of Pears (represented in Fig. 46) is better 
adapted for walls that are much higher than those 
usually surrounding gardens, as, by it, the upper portions 
may be far more quickly reached and covered, than by 
the horizontal system. Fan-trained trees are not so 
ily managed in a young state as those grown on 
either of the other methods for furnishing walls to which 
reference has been made. When once established, they 
frequently, though not always, bear fruit of good quality, 
particularly near the tops of the branches. Since cordons 
have become more extensively cultivated, fan-trained 
trees have, to a great extent, been displaced. 
Pear-tree Arbours. For covering a portion, or the whole, 
of a main, central, or other walk in a garden with Pear- 
Fic. 47. PEAR-TREE ARBOUR, 
trees, a plan such as that represented in Fig. 47 might be 
adopted. For training such trees, a curved iron bar 
would be best for forming the span, and affording the 
necessary support; trees on rider stocks, either on the 
Pear or double-grafted, being planted opposite each 
other, and trained in the way shown by the engraving. 
The centre of the span should be from 7ft. to 10ft. above 
the walk, according to the proportionate width of the 
latter. By summer pinching, such trees might be kept 
restricted without much pruning in winter, and only suffi- 
cient space for insuring the full admission of light and 
sunshine need be allowed between them when planting. 
_ Pruning. Standard Pear-trees require but little atten- 
tion in pruning, except in thinning out when it becomes 
necessary, and in shortening or removing irregular or 
weak growths. If allowed to grow naturally and some- 
what erect, they soon form good heads, and commence 
bearing. Young standards may be cut back, after being 
Pear continued. 
planted, to within about 6in. of where the grafts were 
inserted; and, if six main branches can be formed, they 
will be found sufficient, and should be allowed to extend. 
If bush trees are not allowed to form a central shoot, 
material assistance will be given in strengthening all the 
branches; these should not be shortened until the de- 
sired size of tree is obtained, and their limit is reached. 
Bush-shaped trees, grafted on Quince stocks, are never 
inclined to produce strong wood, especially when in 
full bearing, and are very easily managed. In form, 
established pyramids require to have an upright stem, 
and each main branch, from the top downward, should 
be shorter, horizontally, than the one immediately 
below it. To establish and train large pyramids with 
an even outline, requires considerable experience in 
pruning, and a great deal of attention to keep the main 
side branches regulated and the flow of sap evenly dis- 
tributed. All the laterals formed 
in and about the centre must be 
pinched or otherwise removed in 
summer, in order that the branches 
and their foliage may receive the 
amount of sun and air which they 
require. Pyramids are specially 
inclined to form a mass of shoots 
if this is not attended to, and 
success with trees thus trained 
depends greatly on the proper and 
timely execution of summer prun- 
ing. Most sorts of Pears are 
naturally inclined to form a semi- 
pyramidal habit of themselves ; and 
where the necessity of preserving 
an even outline is unimportant, 
the trees may be allowed to grow 
almost naturally, after being started 
as pyramids at a nursery. Hori- 
zontal and espalier-trained trees 
require pruning somewhat similar 
to each other. Young trees should 
be encouraged to grow strongly, 
by allowing their shoots to pro- 
ceed without being shortened. 
During the latter part of summer, 
all lateral growths should be 
pinched or cut back to about five 
joints, beginning with the upper 
branches, and, after a few days’ 
interval, doing those lower down. 
This will allow of the free admis- 
sion of light and air, to assist in 
the formation of fruit spurs, and 
additional sap will also be diverted 
to the whole of the branches left. 
Cordons of any shape should also 
, : without any shortening whatever 
being practised on the leading growths when once 
they are fairly well started, and are of about equal 
strength. Mr. Rivers’ system of pruning cordons, which 
he has _frequently proved, and justly considers very 
simple, is as follows: “In June, stop the more robust 
shoots to four or five buds, leaving the well-balanced 
shoots untouched; in September, when the fruit has 
attained its proper size and colour, prune all the shoots 
down to three eyes. Under this system, the cordons look 
rather straggling and untidy during the summer, but neat 
enough in the autumn and winter. I believe that, by the 
exercise of moderation in pinching, the growth is more 
equally distributed; at all events, my cordons, whether 
single, double, upright, five-branched, or lateral, have 
produced an abundant crop of fine fruit, and I can 
recommend the system as perfectly sound.” 
Spur-pruning consists in shortening back and reducing 
be allowed to grow 
