FRUIT CULTURE. 167 



flourish on a thin, gravelly soil, but requires one that is deep, 

 rich, and highly cultivated. Those on their own roots will 

 succeed on a more gravelly soil, but will do very much better 

 wlien highly cultivated. For dwarf trees, ten feet apart each 

 way is sufficient; at that distance, about four hundred and 

 thirty trees can be set on an acre. Allowing but half a bushel 

 of fruit to a tree, at one dollar per bushel, an acre will make 

 two hundred and fifteen dollars, which is a very low estimate, 

 as trees five or six years old will bear that amount of fruit, and 

 ten years old ought to bear twice that. Two hundred dollars is 

 a fair value for an acre of vegetables, and pears do not require 

 any more labor in the cultivation, nor half the expense in 

 marketing. 



Quality, as well as quantity, is of very great importance for a 

 good crop of pears ; if cultivated for eating, tiiey should be 

 divided into two classes — good, and good for nothing ; for, 

 unless they are highly flavored, they are fit only for cooking. 

 Three things are essential to insure a good crop. First, the 

 soil should be very highly cultivated; second, the trees should 

 be well thinned, and the ends of the branches should ^e well 

 cut back every year ; and third, the fruit well thinned ; this is 

 of the most consequence, yet it secures the least attention. 

 While riding about the country, the past season, I have noticed 

 that many, or in fact nearly all trees, were overloaded ; some 

 with four times as much fruit as the tree could sustain without 

 injury ; and it will be years before they will recover from this 

 year's over-cropping ; a great many trees were tied up to stakes, 

 and otherwise supported, to prevent their breaking ; I know of 

 no better support than to keep the branches well cut back, to 

 mcrease their size and strength ; then pick off the fruit until 

 the tree is able to support itself; that will secure a good crop 

 of good fruit, handsome and well flavored. The fruit should 

 be well thinned when it is quite small, and, unless the person is 

 experienced, after taking off what he thinks sufficient, he can 

 pick off half the remainder safely, and afterwards, if any imper- 

 fect ones are seen, they should be removed, allowing nothing 

 but perfect fruit to ripen. If you have not time to i>ick the 

 fruit, shake the trees — if you shake off two-thirds of it, all the 

 better ; the shaking will injure the trees somewhat, but not 

 half so much as constant over-cropping. 



