THE PEAR TREE ] 195 



of the slip being the best and give the smallest 

 percentage of failures. Ordinary shield budding is the 

 method adopted almost exclusively, and the bud should 

 be inserted preferably not more than 5 c. m. above 

 the ground level. Budding on the quince stock generally 

 results in a more or less voluminous swelling being formed 

 at the junction of the bud with the stock, which would 

 be unsightly if allowed to remain above the ground 

 when the young pear tree is transplanted to its final 

 destination. Pear trees on pear seedlings, meant to 

 be reared at standards may be budded at one metre 

 or more above the ground. In ten days or two weeks 

 the ligature may be removed, and the stock topped, 

 that is shortened to about 15 c. m. above the bud, 

 and the young shoot which pushes out soon after 

 should be secured to the stump or spur to protect it 

 from injury and to compel it to grow straight. If the 

 stock is vigorous, by autumn the young shoot should 

 have grown from 30 to 60 c. m. or more, and it is 

 then time to think about the training of the young 

 tree. Should the bud fail to develop in summer, the 

 stock is grafted in winter or early in spring. 



Grafting is performed in winter or very early in 

 spring before the" buds begin to swell. For stock 

 exceeding three centimetres in thickness crown-grafting 

 should be preferred, in order not to have to cleave 

 the thick stem too deeply and so cause a wound which 

 would take long to heal. Cleft-grafting, whether simple 

 or double, is the method very generally followed by 

 our gardeners. Simple cleft-grafting, with the insertion 

 of, only one scion, is used when the stock is only 

 about i \ c. m. in diameter; for stock of 2 c. m. in 

 thickness and upwards double cleft- grafting is used 

 and two scions are inserted. The scions are usually 

 selected there and then when the gardener is about 

 to operate, but may be selected some time before and 

 earthed up in a cool corner of the nursery. When 



