ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE. 545 



in doing so let there be as small a re- 

 moval of foliage as possible, the object 

 being not to weaken, but merely to equal- 

 ize growth. As a general rule, no advan- 

 tage will be gained by pruning any por- 

 tion of the shoots after the first season, 

 unless in the case of weakly trees, which 

 will be strengthened by pruning down 

 during winter. The removal of branches 

 during summer weakens growth, but when 

 a portion of the branches are removed 

 after growth is completed, the rootc, not 

 having been disturbed, will have the pre- 

 ponderance, and the number of buds 

 being diminished, those that are left will 

 receive increased vigor. 



It should never be forgotten that 

 there is nothing more certain than that 

 by shortening-in or pruning back the 

 ends of shoots, either in summer or win- 

 ter, the fruit-producing period is retarded, 

 and the fruit-producing capabilities of the 

 trees abridged. Fruiting spurs will not 

 form where the growths are constantly 

 interrupted and excited by pruning; but, 

 after the third or fourth year, young 

 shoots will, in the majority of varieties, 

 become covered with fruiting spurs the 

 second year after their formation if left to 

 their natural mode and condition of 

 growth. Of course, this refers to trees in 

 soils of moderate fertility grown in a cli- 

 mate favorable to the plant. 



The only pruning, then, that is really 

 essential, after the plant has become es- 

 tablished, will be confined to thinning out 

 crowded branches, and this forms the 

 second exigency for pruning. If low- 

 headed trees are preferred, those branches 

 that have become destitute of fruiting 

 spurs near the body of the tree may be 

 cut out and a young shoot be allowed to 

 take the place of the one removed. There 

 will be no lack of young shoots for this 

 purpose, as they will be produced from 

 the base of the cut branch, selecting the 

 strongest and best placed to occupy the 

 vacancy, if such occupancy is desired. 

 This mode of cutting back branches will 

 be more particularly essential in the case 

 of dwarf pears, as the quince roots are 

 unable to support a tall, heavy-headed 

 tree, but in all other respects dwarf pears 

 should be treated the same as standards. 



PEAR TREE, Stocks on, Growth and 

 Quality of Fruit, Influence of. — In com- 



35 



paring remarks and observations made by 

 different cultivators with reference to the 

 merits of varieties, their growth, product- 

 iveness, size, and quality of fruit, and 

 other characteristics, there is found so 

 great a disparity as to lead to a supposi- 

 tion that different varieties are being dis- 

 cussed under the same name. No doubt 

 this is occasionally the case, but the dif- 

 ference caused by the influence of the 

 stocks upon which they are worked is- 

 frequently to blame for these discrepan- 

 cies. Every nurseryman is aware of the 

 great irregularity of growth in plants of 

 the same variety ; they may have been 

 grafted at the same time on stocks of 

 equal size — planted on the same day and 

 in the same way and in the same soil, yet 

 their comparative growths will vary con- 

 siderably ; so much difference exists that 

 the plants will be classed into two or 

 more sizes, and held at different valua- 

 tions. Although the vigor of growth im- 

 parted is thus varied, the habit of the 

 variety is not changed, the upright form 

 growth will still characterize the Buffum, 

 and the spreading habit of the Roztiezer 

 will remain with each individual of that 

 variety ; but in a plantation of fifty of any 

 sort there will be some weak growers, and 

 an occasional specimen that, after linger- 

 ing on a sickly condition for several years, 

 will finally be removed. 



It is reasonable to expect these diversi- 

 ties in the growth of stocks produced from 

 seed, and the influence they impart to 

 the graft, but it is seldom that allowance 

 is made for the many peculiarities that 

 may undoubtedly be traced to this cause. 

 This is still further confirmed by the more 

 uniform growth of dwarf pears, the stocks 

 of which are produced from cuttings or 

 layers, and are, consequently, of more 

 uniform vigor, being an extension of one 

 individuality, instead of the separate indi- 

 vidualities of seedling plants. 



The opinion is now becoming prevalent: 

 that close planting, so that the trees shel- 

 ter each other, is advantageous. For 

 standard trees, eighteen feet apart is con- 

 sidered a good maximum, and ten feet 

 for dwarfs. These distances preclude the 

 practicability of using horse-power in the 

 culture of the soil, at all events, after a 

 few years' growth, which, all things being 

 considered, may be regarded as a step in. 

 the right direction. 



