NAT. ORDER. — POMACE.E. 133 



ers, but easily by cutting's. These modes, however, are productive of 

 very iudifTrrent plant.s. and are justly rejected in favor of raising- from 

 seed, and grafting or budding'. 



From Seed. This mode is adopted either for the purpose of ob- 

 taining- new varieties, or for producing Pear-stocks ; in the former case 

 the same principles of selection or crossing are to be followed as in 

 raising seedling apples, between which and the Pear-tree the chief 

 difrercnce is, that the latter requires a longer period, nearly double, to 

 come into bearing. 



In raising Pears for stocks. The seeds from perry-makers are 

 generally made use of, but the most proper are those from the wild 

 Pears, as likely to produce plants more hardy and durable. There is, 

 however, less diflTcrcncc between the Pear stocks, or those raised from 

 the cultivated fruit and wilil Pear, than there is between the free ap- 

 ple and crab-stocks. The seeds being procured, may be sown and 

 afterwards treated as directed for seedling crab or apple-tree stocks. 



By grafting and budding. The most common stocks on which 

 the Pear is grafted, are the common Pear and the wild Pear : the 

 Pear is, however, dwarfed and brought earlier into a bearing state by 

 grafting or budding on the quince or white-thorn. The Pear will also 

 succeed well on the white-beam, medlar, service or apple ; but stocks 

 of the wild Pear or quince are in most general use. Pears, on free 

 stocks, grow most luxuriantly in good soil and on a diy bottom ; those 

 on wild Pear stocks grow less rapidly, but are deemed more durable, 

 and will thrive on the poorest soil, if a hardy variety, and not over 

 pruned. " On die quince," Miller observes, " breaking Pears are ren- 

 dered gritty and stony ; but the melting sorts are much improved ; — 

 trees on these stocks may be planted in a moist soil with more suc- 

 cess than those on the wild Pear stocks or thorns." On the thorn, 

 Pears come very early into bearing, continue prolific, and in respect 

 to soil will thrive well on a strong clay, which is unsuitable both to 

 iliose on quinces or wild Pears ; but it is supposed to have an unfa- 

 vorable influence on the fruit, in rendering it smaller and hard ; and 



