302 Summer Pruning Pyramidal Pear Trees. 



allowed to go on growing for a week or two longer. In the 

 course of a few days, if the eyes on the old wood are exam- 

 ined they will be found greatly swollen, and many of them 

 ready to break ; if from any cause this is not observed, then 

 the terminal shoots should be nipped off, — not to two eyes, — 

 but merely the tip end, to check the growth ; this will be 

 found, in most cases, to effect the object ; the eyes below will 

 break and short spurs Avill be found. 



After a while the side shoots, as well as the main one, will 

 break again, and, if the spurs are well filled, they may be 

 allowed to grow some length ; for, if stopped too quick, it will 

 sometimes have the tendency to make the spurs, — which 

 would, under most circumstances, form flower buds, — break 

 again, and make merely a second growth. The eye must be 

 kept upon the old wood, and, if the spurs do not fill up well, 

 continue to check the growth of every branch not wanted; 

 and, on the other hand, if the spurs show signs of pushing, 

 at once discontinue pinching. 



Thus every branch should be gone carefully over. There 

 is no set time for performing the operation ; it should be done 

 at any and all times, whenever the state of growth requires 

 it ; and this is affected by many causes. Generally, how- 

 ever, from July 1 to August 1, is the most important period. 

 We have pruned some of the stronger growers and refractory 

 sorts as early as June 5th, but they were upon the pear and 

 grew more rapidly than upon the quince. Trees upon the 

 quince do not require so much pruning as those on the pear. 



The main objects are, to keep the centre of the tree open to 

 the free circulation of air, for without this the leaves will not 

 keep up their elaborative process, by which the fruit buds 

 only can be formed; to let the terminal shoots of all branches 

 grow so as to form a perfectly symmetrical head, only pinch- 

 ing off the tips as they require it, and cutting back all which 

 are not wanted, and to nip off or cut in all side shoots to two 

 eyes. These operations duly attended to, with good judg- 

 ment, cannot fail to accomplish that desired purpose, — the 

 formation of an abundant supply of fruit buds. 



Once a week, at least, the amateur should go over his trees, 

 from July 1 to September 1. 



