45 



THE PEAR- 



1896. The fruit is carried by the pear on the spurs thrown out 

 from the wood of more than one year's growth, and in isolated 

 cases (much less frequent than with the apple) at the terminal 

 buds. No account should be taken of the latter mode of bearing,, 

 but one's entire attention devoted to securing the fruit on the 

 spurs. 



On taking over the pear at the second pruning, one finds much 

 the same growth to be treated as on the apple, but it will 

 generally be forced out in greater profusion, and in the case of 

 upright growers, in a more compact mass. The shortening-in 

 process should be strictly 'carried out, cutting off from a half to 

 two-thirds of the last season's groXvth. In the upright growers- 

 the shoots should be considerably thinned out, cutting out always 

 the inner ones, to force the growth outwards, in order to spread 

 the tree. The course of treatment to l>e pursued in future years 

 is a constant cutting lack and thinning out of the long upright 

 growth, and tlie keeping of the spurs, after fruiting, in a sound 

 and healthy state by an occasional thinning-out and shortening- 

 in. The main object should be to keep the tree open, in order 

 to allow the sun to ripen the spurs, and also to give them room 

 to grow and carry their fruit. We may here state that we do not 

 approve of a system practised in some orchards we have seen. 

 In place of shortening-in the head the limbs are bent out, and 

 brought into a horizontal position by being fastened to stakes, 

 It is certainly a ready way of encouraging fruiting, but we have 

 frequently noticed that trees so treated are liable in the near 

 future to be severely scalded by the sun, resulting in an entire 

 burning away of the exposed surface, ever afterwards making an 

 unhealthy tree. 



1900. The constant cutting back and thinning out of the top we 

 still consider necessary, but it must be done in moderation. Don't 

 cut back too severely, one-third of the last season's growth 

 will be enough, and leave the laterals from 6 inches to 12 inches in 

 height, dependent on their position. 



THE PEACH. 



1896. The pruning of this tree we consider the most intricate of 

 all, but it is very simple when the idea is once grasped. The 

 fruit is carried on the new wood, i.e., the wood of the previous- 

 season's growth. The one object then is to induce the growth of 

 new or bearing wood, which is done by heavy cutting back and 

 thinning out, as it must be remembered that however much growth- 



