THE HOME FRUIT-GARDEN. 301 



perfect fruit, and, in some cases, one half or two thirds of 

 all on the tree. The result of this is that there will be little 

 poor fruit to pick and sort; what remains will be larger and 

 of better quality, while the quantity will probably be as 

 great as if all had been allowed to remain on the tree, and 

 the tree will not be exhausted, for it is the production of 

 the numerous seeds that weakens the tree more than the 

 production of the pulp or soft part of the fruit. 



Insects and Fungous Pests. 



The limits of this chapter will not warrant a description 

 of the many insects and fungous pests that are injurious to 

 the apple or the other fruits, and the reader is referred to 

 such books asSacmder's " Insects Injurious to Fruits " and 

 " The Spraying of Crops" by Lodeman, etc., and to the 

 directions for the use of insecticides and fungicides on 

 pages 262-269. On these subjects the bulletins of the ex- 

 periment-stations give the best and up-to-date information 

 that can be obtained from any source. 



THE PEAR. 



Although the pear is not so largely grown or highly 

 prized as the apple, it is distinctly a home fruit and is easily 

 grown. The trees should be planted about 20 feet apart 

 and succeed best in a rather heavy soil, but will do fairly 

 well on any but a very thin soil. The tree grows in a 

 regular pyramidal form and begins bearing earlier than the 

 apple. The treatment it requires as to preparation of tree 

 for planting, the planting, and care are the same as for the 

 apple and need not be repeated here. 



To obtain fruit of the largest size and the best quality, 

 the trees should make a vigorous growth and the fruit must 

 be thinned as directed for the apple. The fruit ripens 



