112 PEAR. 



Winter Bergamots. Kitchen Pears should be of a large 

 size, with the flesh firm, neither breaking nor melting, and 

 rather austere than sweet. Perry Pears may be either large 

 or small ; but the more austere the taste, the better will be 

 the liquor; excellent perry is made from the wild Pear. 



Pear trees are propagated by grafting in the spring, or 

 budding late in the summer, and also by seed taken from 

 the best sorts for the purpose of obtaining new varieties. In 

 raising Pear stocks, the wild Pear is preferred in Europe, as 

 being calculated to produce plants more hardy and durable 

 than the cultivated sorts ; and for dwarfing and precocity, 

 the Quince is preferred. 



The Pear is a much handsomer upright growing tree 

 than the Apple ; more durable, and its wood hard and valu- 

 able for the turner and millwright ; but its blossoms being 

 white, are less showy than those of the Apple. 



A Pear Orchard may be planted at any time after the 

 trees are two years' old from the graft ; and as some varie- 

 ties of trees from young stocks will not come into full bear- 

 ing until ten or twelve years old, they will bear removing 

 with care at any time within that period. They may be 

 planted at from twenty to thirty-five feet distance from each 

 other, according to the nature of the tree. The dwarf vari- 

 eties may be planted in the kitchen garden, and trained 

 either as espaliers or dwarf standards. 



Standard Pear trees will require but little pruning after 

 the heads are once formed ; in doing which, the branches 

 should be permitted to extend on all sides freely. Several 

 years may elapse before any cross-placed, very irregular, or 

 crowded branches, require pruning; yet there are some 

 kinds whose form of growth resembles the Apple ; such will 

 need frequent pruning. " The Pear tree," Mr. Phail says, 

 " does not produce blossoms on the former year's wood, as 

 several other sorts of trees do. Its blossom buds are formed 

 upon spurs growing out of wood over one year old, and, 

 consequently, projecting spurs all over the tree must be left 



