CHAP. IV VILLA GARDENING 255 



the tree, the judicious application of a toixlressing, or a thorough 

 soaking of liquid manure, as recommended for Apple trees, will be 

 of great advantage. In the spring and early summer the leaves 

 of Pear trees are often curled up and injm'ed by the larvse of a 

 species of moth, chiefly the Tortrix Contaminaua ; but these, if 

 taken in time, need not cause much apprehension. The best way 

 to deal with them is to go over the trees frequently and crush the 

 maggots between the finger and thumb. A week of persistent 

 effort will get rid of them. In dry hot seasons both thrip and 

 red s^mler will attack the leaves of Pear trees. Soft soap and 

 Tobacco wash will destroy thrip, and will also, with sulphur, 

 banish the red spider ; but in both those cases a good supply of 

 water, and a free use of the garden engine during the warm summer 

 evenings, will prove a good insecticide, and add to the health and 

 strength of the trees at the same time. 



Protecting the Blossoms. — Very few people attempt this, 

 though a crop of good dessert Pears is as valuable as one of 

 Peaches. It is true that Pear blossoms are more difficult to shelter 

 than are the former, for by reason of the crop for the most part 

 being borne on spurs they stand farther from the wall, and would 

 be more liable to be damaged by nets or any textile coverings 

 which might be used for the purpose. I have seen some advantage 

 received by placing branches of laurels and other evergreen shrubs 

 and trees among the Pear branches. Sprays of Hazel, Birch, and 

 Elm, well furnished with small twdgs, are also useful ; if they 

 do not save the croj^s they wdll at least do no harm, nor add to 

 the cost of production. A coping made of branches of trees, pro- 

 jecting a foot or so from the w^all, wdl be very useful. This may 

 easily be obtained by straining a ware just under the stone wall 

 coping, near its outer edge, and thrusting the sprays of shrubs 

 between the wire and the coping, leaving the feathery ends to 

 hang down. 



Gathering and Storing. — It is possible to prolong the season 

 of many kinds of Pears by proper and careful gathering. The 

 usual plan is to gather the crop all at once, without seeing that 

 every Pear is ripe enough to gather and store. Any one that has 

 gathered Pears on this principle knows that whilst some fruits 

 part from the stalk very easily, others on the same tree evince the 

 greatest reluctance to be taken off. It is true that there will be a 

 difference of time in the ripening period of these two fruits, but 

 that difference may be made of a more pronounced character if the 

 clinging fruit was allowed a few more days on the tree. This will 

 be a very useful quality, where only a few Pear trees are planted, 

 to keep up a succession of fruit. For instance, by adopting this 



