1877.] ESSAY ON THE PEAR. 13 



The time for transplanting trees, spring or fall, should also be consid- 

 ered. If the soil is dry and well drained of surface water, trees may be 

 transplanted in the fall of the year with as equally good results as in the 

 spring. The soil is in better condition, being dry and mellow, and will 

 pack better around the roots; the tree will get firmly estabUshed ready 

 for an early growth the next year; and, again, a farmer usually has more 

 leisure in the fall, and can give more time to the work, which will be 

 done better than in the hurry of the spring work. If the land is in any 

 way wet or exposed to the bleak northerly winds, I should invariably 

 take the spring months for transplanting. The proportion of spring to 

 fall planting, as practiced by my customers, has been as two to one, two- 

 thirds of our trade being in the spring, the other third in the fall of the 

 year. 



When and how shall we prune? The nurserymen have hit upon one 

 general rule: " to prune when your knife is sharp," which establishes 

 one fact, — that light knife pruning may be performed at any season of 

 the year. On the other hand, if large limbs are to be taken off, or a 

 heavy pruning on large trees, we should take the months of March and 

 April for the purpose. Trees, when first transplanted, should be cut 

 back heavy, at least two-thirds of the previous year's growth should be 

 taken off. This will help counterbalance the loss of root, and also give 

 the root a chance to get established first, without being compelled to 

 furnish sustenance for bud and leaf on superfluous wood. I believe that 

 more trees from the nursery die every year for lack of this cutting back 

 process than from any other cause. After the first 5'ear's heavy pruning, 

 a young tree will not require much pruning for several years; simijly 

 keep them clear of sprouts and cross limbs. When we find the trees 

 making a heavy growth, say of two to three feet in a single year, it is 

 best to cut them back again, which will make them more stocky, and it 

 also tends to bring them earlier into bearing, which is desirable when a 

 tree has attained a bearing size. 



If one's orchard is in an exposed place where strong winds prevail, a 

 shorter, more stocky tree is most desirable. 



As nearly every variety of pear is better to be taken from the tree and 

 ripened in the house, a general rule that will apply to every variety is 

 most desirable; in this I have special reference to the summer rnd early 

 autumn pears. The later autumn and winter pears should all be gathered 

 about the first week in October. The earlier fruit should always be 

 gathered a week or ten days before it is ripe, and the time to pick them 

 can generally be decided in a very simple manner. When the windfalls 

 and worm-eaten specimens that drop from the tree, have the appearance 

 of ripe fruit by their color, mellowness and natural flavor, it is safe to say 

 3 



