The Canadian Horticulturist. 7 



THE SUCCESSFUL RAISING OF PEARS. 



EARS are a delicate fruit, liked by nearly everyone, the trees are early 

 bearers, of easy culture, and they take up very little space. When 

 once well established they bear neglect better than most other kinds 

 of fruit. The tree has no insect enemies, if we except the fall web- 

 worm, which occasionally locates on it, or perhaps, once in a life- 

 time, the tree may be visited by a small colony of slugs. Pears 

 delight in dry and sunny locations, yet will grow and thrive almost 

 anywhere if properly cared for. If the soil is wet it should be underdrained, 

 and for this purpose a ditch filled with the small stones that can be raked from 

 the surface will answer admirably. For standard varieties, 20 ft. apart each way 

 is sufficient, and for dwarfs or pears worked on quince stock, 10 ft. will usually 

 do, though some varieties, if planted deep, will root on the pear stock and 

 become standards, requiring more room. For market there is little profit in 

 dwarfs, but for family use they come into bearing so early, and with some 

 varieties they bear fruit of so much better quality that they are well worthy of 

 cultivation. 



For a small place I would advise planting dwarfs exclusively, plantin.s; 

 deeply so that the pear stock may in time throw out roots and the tree thereby 

 become a standard. A fertile soil is good, but not absolutely necessary. 



Until the tree is well grown the ground should be carefully worked through 

 the early part of the season, letting the work cease as early as the first of 

 September. Dwarfs should be worked every season, as the quince stock on 

 which they are budded has fine fibrous roots that feed near the surface, and turf 

 left about them for any length of time is fatal to any good results. All summer 

 varieties should be picked at least 10 days before ripening, and ripened in boxes 

 excluded from light, and as far as possible from air. Of course they will ripen 

 otherwise, but to secure the best possible flavor, there is no better plan. Fall 

 varieties should be gathered two weeks before ripening, and handled in the same 

 way. Winter varieties may remain on the trees until the leaves fall, taking care 

 not to let them get severely frozen. Pack them away in a similar manner as 

 recommended for the earlier varieties, and keep as near the freezing point as you 

 can until you wish to use them. A few days in a warm room will then ripen 

 them rapidly. — Farm and Home. 



The Recumbent Apple. — Mr. E. Reeves, in a paper before the Iowa 

 Horticultural Society, says : Later comes the Hibernal family of apples, which 

 includes Hibernal, Recumbent, Silken Leaf, and others. All are perfectly hardy 

 and vary but little in fruit. Recumbent is the most widely distributed, and is 

 among the best. Fruit large and the best cooking apple I have tested among 

 the Russians. It is the best apple we have for pies, but for eating from the 

 hand, is simply atrocious. Season, November to January. 



