FRUIT CULTURE. 



273 



Pt-ar tree. pruued. 



trunk will lessen the danger of 

 sun scald. The subsequent 

 pruning of the pear consists in 

 thinning out the head, remov- 

 ing any lower sprouts and 

 shortening any ven,' rampant 

 growths. In pruning back 

 these strong twigs cut close 

 to an outside bud, the ten- 

 dency being then to grow a 

 more spreading top. Dwarfs 

 are grown on the pyramid sys- 

 tem or the "inverted cone" 

 plan, usually the latter. The 

 head should be started lower 

 and pruning be constant and 

 systematic. Fig. 38 repre- 

 sents a tree cut back in the 

 second year, a well branched 

 head and no bad crotches. 

 Fig. 39 exemplifies a poor 

 type of dwarf pear, where sufficient care 

 has not been given to the formation of the 

 head. Abetter type is seen in Figs. 41, 42, 

 and the requisite pruning clearly indicated. 

 The manuring and tillage ot the pear 

 orchard should be similar to that of the ap- 



FIG38 



A Duchess dwarf 

 pear, four years set. 



The tree 

 pruned. 



pie orchard. Cultivation should be kept up 

 late with young trees or a rank growth is 

 induced, especially on rich soils, in which 

 the wood may fail to ripen, and winter kill- 

 ing and blight will probably result. Old 

 trees of the *' choke-pear " variety may be 



