THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Pear continued. 



has been made. This would be unavoidable, and a mere 

 furnishing of the wall would be the chief result, with 

 what fruit the untoward circumstances allowed. 



Fan-training of Pears (represented in Fig. 46) is better 

 adapted for walls that are much higher than those 

 usually surrounding gardens, as, by it, the upper portions 

 may be far more quickly reached and covered, than by 

 the horizontal system. Fan-trained trees are not so 

 easily managed in a young state as those grown on 

 either of the other methods for furnishing walls to which 

 reference has been made. When once established, they 

 frequently, though not always, bear fruit of good quality, 

 particularly near the tops of the branches. Since cordons 

 have become more extensively cultivated, fan-trained 

 trees have, to a great extent, been displaced. 



Pear-tree Arbours. For covering a portion, or the whole, 

 of a main, central, or other walk in a garden with Pear- 



FIG. 47. PEAR-TREE ARBOUR. 



trees, a plan such as that represented in Fig. 47 might be 

 adopted. For training such trees, a curved iron bar 

 would be best for forming the span, and affording the 

 necessary support; trees on rider stocks, either on the 

 Pear or double-grafted, being planted opposite each 

 other, and trained in the way shown by the engraving. 

 The centre of the span should be from 7ft. to 10ft. above 

 the walk, according to the proportionate width of the 

 latter. By summer pinching, such trees might be kept 

 restricted without much pruning in winter, and only suffi- 

 cient space for insuring the full admission of light and 

 sunshine need be allowed between them when planting. 

 Pruning. Standard Pear-trees require but little atten- 

 tion in pruning, except in thinning out when it becomes 

 necessary, and in shortening or removing irregular or 

 weak growths. If allowed to grow naturally and some- 

 what erect, they soon form good heads, and commence 

 bearing. Young standards may be cut back, after being 



Fear continued. 



planted, to within about Gin. of where the grafts were 

 inserted ; and, if six main branches can be formed, they 

 will be found sufficient, and should bo allowed to extend. 

 If bush trees are not allowed to form a central shoot, 

 material assistance will be given in strengthening all the 

 branches; these should not be shortened until the de- 

 sired size of tree is obtained, and their limit is reached. 

 Bush-shaped trees, grafted on Quince stocks, are never 

 inclined to produce strong wood, especially when in 

 full bearing, and are very easily managed. In form, 

 established pyramids require to have an upright stem, 

 and each main branch, from the top downward, should 

 be shorter, horizontally, than the one immediately 

 below it. To establish and train large pyramids with 

 an even outline, requires considerable experience in 

 pruning, and a great deal of attention to keep the main 

 side branches regulated and the flow of sap evenly dis- 

 tributed. All the laterals formed 

 in and about the centre must be 

 pinched or otherwise removed in 

 summer, in order that the branches 

 and their foliage may receive the 

 amount of sun and air which they 

 require. Pyramids are specially 

 inclined to form a mass of shcota 

 if this is not attended to, and 

 success with trees thus trained 

 depends greatly on the proper and 

 timely execution of summer prun- 

 ing. Most sorts of Pears are 

 naturally inclined to form a semi- 

 pyramidal habit of themselves ; and 

 where the necessity of preserving 

 an even outline is unimportant, 

 the trees may be allowed to grow 

 almost naturally.after being started 

 as pyramids at a nursery. Hori- 

 zontal and espalier- trained trees 

 require pruning somewhat similar 

 to each other. Young trees should 

 be encouraged to grow strongly, 

 by allowing their shoots to pro- 

 ceed without being shortened. 

 During the latter part of summer, 

 all lateral growths should be 

 pinched or cut back to about five 

 joints, beginning with the upper 

 branches, and, after a few days' 

 I interval, doing those lower down. 

 This will allow of the free admis- 

 sion of light and air, to assist in 

 the formation of fruit spurs, and 

 additional sap will also be diverted 

 to the whole of the branches left. 

 Cordons of any shape should also 



be allowed to grow without any shortening whatever 

 being practised on the leading growths when once 

 they are fairly well started, and are of about equal 

 strength. Mr. Rivers' system of pruning cordons, which 

 he has frequently proved, and justly considers very 

 simple, is as follows : " In June, stop the more robust 

 shoots to four or five buds, leaving the well-balanced 

 shoots untouched; in September, when the fruit has 

 attained its proper size and colour, prune all the shoots 

 down to three eyes. Under this system, the cordons look 

 rather straggling and untidy during the summer, but neat 

 enough in the autumn and winter. I believe that, by the 

 exercise of moderation in pinching, the growth is more 

 equally distributed ; at all events, my cordons, whether 

 single, double, upright, five-branched, or lateral, have 

 produced an abundant crop of fine fruit, and I can 

 recommend the system as perfectly sound." 



Spur-pruning consists in shortening back and reducing 



