TREES OVEK-BEAEING. 25 



draining, are referred to books published on the 

 subject. 



On light sandy soils, having an open sub-soil, 

 fruit trees will thrive without under-drains, provided 

 the land is kept in good " heart/' and thoroughly 

 worked before planting the trees. Land that will 

 produce forty or fifty bushels of shelled corn to the 

 acre, prepared in the way described, will give satis- 

 factory returns in pears, and produce new wood 

 enough to sustain the tree in a healthy condition. 

 W hen a young pear tree is heavily laden with fruit, 

 and has no new wood, it is fair to suppose that the 

 tree is not in a healthy state. This is subsequently 

 proved by the fact, that this over-bearing has 

 brought on premature death. Pear culture is fre- 

 quently condemned as being unprofitable, and the 

 trees short-lived, when the facts show mismanagement 

 on the part of the owner in neglecting to provide the 

 necessary food, and an entire want of knowledge of 

 the principles that should govern the use of the 

 pruning knife. 



