304 



THE PEAR. 



duced ; and as it is very probable that, ere many years elapse, we 

 shall have exhibitions of pears, this will be liie mode to procure fine 

 specimens to show for prizes. 



Monsieur Cappe's method of pruning" in the Garden of Plants, 

 (Jardin des Plantes,) France, where all are on their own or pear 

 roots, is thus described by the late A. J. Downing in the Horticul- 

 turist. These pyramidal pear trees, it is well known, are regarded 

 as the most perfect of specimens. 



" M. Cappe confines his pruning to three seasons of the year. In 

 the mon'h of March, or before the buds start, he shortens back with 

 the knife all the leading shoots, fig. 1, a, a, — that is, the terminal 

 shoots at the end of each side branch. Of course, this forces out not 

 only a new leaduag shoot at the end of the branch, but side shoots, 

 6, 6, at various places on the lower part of the 

 shoot. These side shoots are left to grow till the 

 end of May. They have then pushed out to about 

 four or five inches in lenojth. The ends of all 

 these side shoots are then pinched off, leaving 

 only about an inch and a half at the bottom of 

 the shoot. 



" Fig. 2 shows one of the branches, with the 

 side shoots, as they are at the end of June. The 

 dotted lines, 6, 6, show the point to which these 

 shoots should be pinched off. 



" The terminal or leading shoot, c, is lefl entire, 

 in order to draw up the sap, which would other- 

 wise force all the side shoots into new growth. Notwithstanding 

 this precaution, in luxuriant seasons the side shoots will frequently 



push out new shoots again, just below 

 where they were pinched. This being 

 the case, about the Za^i of August M. 

 Cappe shortens back these new side 

 shoots to about an inch and a half But 

 this time he does not pinch them off. 

 He breaks them, and leaves the broken 

 end for several days attached and hang- 

 ing do^\'n, so that the flow of sap is not 

 so suddenly checked as when the branch 

 is pinched or cut off, and the danger of 

 new shoots being forced out a third time 

 is thereby efifectually guarded against. 

 "The object of this stopping the side 

 branches, is to accumulate the sap, or, more properly, the organizable 

 matter in these shortened branches, by which means the remaining 

 buds become fruit-buds instead of wood-buds. They also become 

 spurs, distributed over the whole tree, which bear regularly yeai 



Fis^. 1. 



Fig. 2 



