8 THE BOOK OF PEARS AND PLUMS 



(ij mesh) round each tree. This will last for years. 

 The wire should be 3 feet high at the least. Examine 

 your fence every year in September and repair. You 

 cannot be too particular. Serious damage may be done 

 in a night. 



STOCKS FOR PEARS 



The discovery of the Quince Stock, as adapted to 

 the Pear for budding or grafting upon, has added 

 immensely of late years to the popularity of this valuable 

 fruit. The discovery, it is true, is not a new one. 

 Merlet, writing in 1667 (says Mr Scott), recommends 

 the Portugal Quince as stronger and more favourable 

 for working pears upon than any other variety: "It 

 swells equally fast with the graft, which none of the 

 other sorts do." Le Gendre, an author of about the 

 same date, in Le Manure de cultiver les arbres Frutiers, 

 says : " I have been much aided by the invention of 

 grafting the Pear upon the Quince," and adds that he 

 was one of the first who helped to introduce this 

 method. By this discovery the well-known saying : 

 " Plant pears for your heirs," must give way to 

 another : 



" That those who plant pears 

 Grow fruit for their heirs 

 Is a maxim our grandfathers knew ; 

 But folks have learnt since, 

 If you graft on the quince 

 The fruit will develop for you." J 



This stock checks excessive growth, and brings the 

 tree into early bearing. It is not adapted for large 

 standards nor for light soil ; in good pear ground it is 

 simply invaluable. Sometimes poor results occur, but 

 the failure is usually caused by the want of proper 

 1 See Cheal, "Fruit Culture/' p. 8. 



