306 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
yet, on account of its large size and time of ripening, desirable, and 
found in almost every collection, makes a strong vigorous growth as 
a dwarf, and its low compact form, trained asa pyramid, makes it 
easily accessible for thinning the fruit, which must be severely done 
to ensure the best results. 
The Louise Bonne of Jersey, though it will fruit abundantly on 
either pear or quince stock, yet generally gives the best specimens 
from dwarfs, if the fruit-buds are all removed until the tree has 
gained a strong growth, and it is then allowed to bear only a mode- 
rate quantity, as its tendency is invariably to overcrop. 
The list of varieties might be extended indefinitely, with their 
variations as dwarfs or standards, but those mentioned are among 
the most desirable, and are grown most successfully as dwarfs. 
Leaving the question of orchard culture to those of more expe- 
rience, it may be claimed for the dwarf pear, among amateurs and 
the large number who have small collections, and who are giving 
every year more attention to the cultivation of this fruit, that to all 
starting new places and desiring fruit as soon as possible, it is a 
necessity, and in order that success may be assured, let the prepara- 
tion of the soil be thorough, as the cause of failure will be more 
generally found in the want of preparation for, rather than in the 
subsequent treatment of, these trees. If the land is springy, or its 
location renders it liable to contain stagnant water, let it be 
thoroughly underdrained and the soil well worked over and enriched 
to the depth of two feet. If, on the contrary, the soil be naturally 
shallow and dry, spread over the whole surface a rich compost of 
heavy loam and manure to the depth of one foot, and this, well 
worked in with one foot of the surface soil, will give the depth and 
quality of soil calculated to secure success with the quince stock. 
But with this preparation it may be necessary to mulch the ground 
until the trees become established, as I found from experience last 
season. Having set some dwarf trees in the spring, they all started 
well; but about the middle of July they stopped growing, and I 
found upon examination the soil seemed perfectly dry down to the 
roots of the trees. Upon giving the ground a good mulching and a 
thorough watering as far as the roots extended, they again com- 
menced making growth. In selecting the dwarf trees, take only 
those that are low worked, or budded near the crown of the roots, 
so that when they are set the quince portion of the stock may be 
placed at least three inches below the surface, without carrying the 
roots too low in the ground. 
Much of the pruning usually done with the knife may be better 
and more easily done by frequently pinching-in the stronger grow- 
ing shoots. If the trees are trained in the usual pyramidal form 
they will frequently push a few strong shoots, which, if allowed to 
grow, make large, soft, unripe wood, most of which has to be cut 
out to preserve the form of the tree. If these shoots are pinched-in, 
after having made as much growth as can be retained, the wood will 
become hard, the sap will be thrown into the less vigorous branches, 
and a more uniform growth will be secured; and atthe time of doing 
this the necessary thinning of the fruit may be performed. This is 
i a it att etl 
