IRISH GARDENING 



VOLUME XII 



No. 141 



Editor— J- W. Besant 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE 



ADVANCEMENT OF HORTICULTURE AND 



ARBORICULTURE IN IRELAND 



NOVEMBER 

 1917 



Bush Pear Culture* 



By D. McIntosh, Danuni Gardens, Rathgar, Co. Dublin. 





To achieve success in the cultivation cf the 

 Pear there are three factors of primary import- 

 ance to be considered — namely, the ideal 

 aspect, good drainage, and a thorough prepara- 

 tion of the soil. In the choosing of an aspect, 

 select a piece of land with a gradual slope facing 

 towards the south. With regard to drainage 

 it shoxild be so arranged as to concentrate the 

 water to one main outlet, which can be 

 periodically inspected to ensure it is clear and 

 in working order. 



Thorough preparation of the soil can be 

 accomj^lished in the following way : — Whether 

 the soil be of a heavy or a light texture, it should 

 be trenched at least to the depth of 18 inches. 

 If the soil be heavy, mix in a good suppl}^ of 

 well-decayed stable manure and a fair amount 

 of lime rubble, wood ashes and road scrapings. 

 If the soil be light, incorporate a sufficient 

 quantity of heavy farmyard manure as the 

 work of trenching proceeds. No attempt at 

 trenching should be made while the soil remains 

 in a wet and sticky condition, as this would be 

 in all probability fatal to the welfare of the 

 Pear. When the trenching operation has been 

 completed, preferablj^ during the month of 

 October, young bush trees may be ordered from 

 any reliable nurseryman. During the interval 

 the trenched ground will be settling down, and 

 by the first or second week in November the 

 soil should be in a fit condition to plant. In 

 straight lines, at a distance of 9 feet each wa^y, 

 make holes with a spade, 3 feet wide and 8 inches 

 deep. Drive in a strong stake, 2 inches from the 

 centre of the hole, to which affix the tree when 

 planted, in order to make it secure against high 

 winds. Before commencing to plant, trim off 

 with a sharp knife all jagged and broken roots. 

 At this operation, always cat downwards to 

 encourage fibrous roots near the surface. Set 



the plant in position against the stake. Spread 

 out the lower roots equally, as far as possible, 

 and cover with t le finest of the soil to the depth 

 of 2 inches. Over this sj^read out another layer 

 of roots, again filling in with fine soil, and so on 

 until the level of the ground is reached. Eirm 

 each layer of soil as the fiUing in proceeds. A 

 thin coating of light litter spread around each 

 tree will complete the planting operation. 



Pruning and training of these young trees 

 will be the next consideration. During February 

 begin by cutting away all dead and broken 

 shoots. Cut out all central growths v.ith the 

 object of keeping an open centre. This is very 

 important if the best results are to be obtained. 

 Near the base of the tree, encourage seven or 

 eight shoots to grow out at an equal distance 

 all roimd, say at 2 feet apart, training these 

 u]iwards in a sort of cordon fashion. Each year 

 shorten the leaders according to the vigour of 

 the individual tree, until they reach a height of 

 10 or 12 feet. It may not be possible to force 

 the desired number of shoots the first year, but 

 eventually they will appear by careful attention 

 to pruning. By adopting this form of bush 

 training, the fruits borne on the branches 

 receive an abundant supply of light and air, 

 two very essential elements for imi)arting 

 colour and flavour to the fruits. As a passing 

 remark, I may mention that many of our bush 

 trees at Danuni this year produced enormous 

 crops of splendid fruit, in particular Clapp's 

 Favourite, Conference and Durondeau, each 

 tree making an average of 500 tj^jDical fruits. 

 The trees are about twelve years old, and have 

 been pruned and trained in the way I have 

 been trying to describe above. Generally 

 speaking, the pruning of the Pear tree maj be 

 performed any time from the beginning of 

 November to the end of February. Shorten all 



