Successful Pear Culture. 271 



caution. What is wanted is a sharp, sudden jar, to shake the insects 

 down quickly. The pkin of destroying the larvae in fallen fruit, by 

 means of hogs, is eflectual as regards next year's crop, but will not 

 affect this year's, and is further objectionable, as it does not admit of 

 growing vegetables between the rows of trees. Where there arc only a 

 few young trees, it is an excellent plan to dig out the egg of the curculio 

 with the point of a knife ; but this must be done before the larva begins 

 to work towards the stem of the fruit so as to cause it to drop. Either 

 of the methods we have named will be effectual if followed up with 

 unremitting care and industry, and not without ; but whoever has plum, 

 or peach, or nectarine trees ought to destroy the curculios by one of 

 them, if he has to take the sheets oft' his bed to do it. 



SUCCESSFUL PEAR CULTURE. — II. 



By T. T. SouTHWiCK, Dansville, N. Y. 



PREPARING SOIL, ETC. 



Mr. Martin's first soil was prepared by his own hand, by trench- 

 ing, after the manner advocated by Field and others, with mattock and 

 shovel, to the depth of three feet. This he found to be exhausting 

 labor, and resorted to horse power. His present plan is to attach four 

 strong horses to a plough, and run it beam deep. Following in the 

 same furrow is a lifting subsoil plough, drawn by four more strong 

 horses. The soil is thus made fine for about eighteen inches deep. 

 The appearance of the land after this ploughing is like that of a newly- 

 macadamized road. Eight horses and four men will prepare about an 

 acre a day, making the cost about one tenth the cost of hand trenching, 

 and quite as good. Mr. Martin would not plant standard pears save on 

 land thoroughly and deeply trenched or subsoiled. 



The ground is now ready for planting — after being harrowed over 

 to make the surface fine and mellow. Each future ploughing brings 



