FRUIT CULTURE. 



275 



are more or less resistant. Clapp" s Favorite, 

 Souvenir de Congress and Bartlett, especially 

 the first, are hig-hly subject to blight, while 

 Keiffer, Seckel Siwd Tyson have rarely suffered. 

 This is a question which the intending- pear- 

 grower would do well to study closely. 



Pear-scab. — (See Fig-. 44). Though dis- 

 tinct from the apple-scab fung-us, it must be 

 foug-ht in the same way and by the same 

 means. 



Insects. — The curculio, codling moth and 

 pear-slug are the commonest insect enemies 

 given on p. 176 of the 1897-98 Inst. Report. 



THE PLUM. 



Nothing need be said as to the claims ot 

 of this fruit on the amateur or commercial 

 grower. The productiveness and hardiness 

 of the tree, and the many good qualities of 

 the fruit, speak for themselves. From the 

 three types now cultivated, the Domestica 

 or European, the Japanese and the native 

 American class, can be selected varieties 



\ 

 \ 



/ 



that will be successful in all parts of On- 

 tario. It will survive conditions fatal to 

 many other fruits, but will abundantly repay 

 careful attention and high culture. Like 

 the pear, it may be profitably grown on all 

 kinds of soil, but will succeed best and give 

 the highest quality of fruit on heavy ground. 

 Strong clay soils, properly drained, will be 

 found perfectly suitable. 



Planting and Pruning. — The planting 

 and pruning of the first three years are much 

 the same as with the apple. Fig. 45 indi- 

 cates the manner of pruning the young treese 

 This, however, is a two year old tree, and 

 with all the vigorous varieties it is far better 

 to plant one year old trees. 

 Such stock is cheaper, the 

 root will be more fibrous 

 than in Fig. 42, the losses 

 in planting will be less, and 

 in a few years' time it will 

 catch up or surpass the 

 older tree. Fig. 46 is a 

 picture of a block of young 

 Burbank trees planted on a 

 rather hard clay soil in the 

 spring of 1897. The trees 

 were strong one year olds, 

 were cut back to a whip 

 about three feet high. Not 

 a tree was lost, and the 

 whole block is exceptionally 

 thrifty. The head of the 

 young tree should be kept 

 fairly open, and the vigor- 

 ous growths may be short- 

 ened in one half. Some 

 growers practice the short- 

 ening-in method year after 

 year. This may be done to 

 advantage with vigorous 

 and erect growers like 

 Pond's Seedling and Brad- 

 shaw, but as soon as the tree FlG 45 ^3aii.ey 

 bears, these long growths p,„„ ^^^^^ 



will be checked naturally, weU trimmed. 



