82 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE ' 



age, fruiting spurs frequently appear upon the pear on large 

 branches. It therefore becomes evident that if these fruiting spurs 

 are allowed to remain upon the large structural branches of the tree, 

 and the blossoms of such a spur become affected by the pear-blight, 

 the blight will immediately become communicated to the framework 

 branch upon which the spur is situated. In consequence, a case of 

 what is called "body blight" results. It is evident, therefore, that if 

 the fruiting spurs which bear these blossoms are kept off the large 

 branches of the tree there is less liability of injury to them from the 

 blight. Persons engaged in pear culture should, therefore, pay the 

 strictest attention to the removal of all fruiting spurs from the main 

 structural branches of the pear tree. This will force the development 

 of spurs upon the smaller branches, and as these can be allowed to 

 develop at a considerable distance from the main body of the tree, 

 contamination with the blight will only necessitate the removal of 

 one of these smaller, minor branches, rather than the loss of a main 

 framework branch. By systematically cutting out all blighted 

 branches which appear among the fruit-bearing branches of a prop- 

 erly pruned pear tree, it will at once rid the tree of the blight, with- 

 out any serious detriment to the tree itself. This is the principle 

 underlying the control of the much-dreaded pear-blight, and, as be- 

 fore stated, it is controlled primarily by judicious pruning. 



Pruning Dwarf Pears. Dwarf pears are as a rule pruned as 

 pyramids. For this reason the nursery trees are handled very differ- 

 ently from standards. Branches are allowed to grow close to the 

 ground and a central axis clothed with branches from near the 

 ground to its extremity is maintained rather than a bare trunk to 

 the height at which the head is desired, as in the standard tree. In 

 the pyramid these lateral branches are left longest near the ground 

 and shortest near the apex of the pyramid. This method is adhered 

 to from year to year in pruning the annual growth of the tree. The 

 annual pruning of a pyramid is of even greater importance than in 

 the case of the standard pear, for upon it depends the symmetrical 

 development of the tree. 



It is well known that orchard trees in general tend to make their 

 greatest growth near the extremity of the leading branches. In other 

 words, the leaders are the strongest growers and it is frequently a 

 difficult task to stimulate lateral branches to grow sufficiently to pre- 

 serve a symmetrical development in the tree. The manner, therefore, 

 of cutting back the annual growth on the various parts of the tree 

 must be carefully studied in order to preserve the symmetrical devel- 

 opment desired. In removing the annual growth from pyramidal 

 trees it should be the aim to cut back to an inside bud each year. 

 This will tend to make the growth of the tree more upright and more 

 compact, while with a vase-formed tree it should be the object to cut 

 to an outside bud each year. 



Pruning the Peach. In general, the peach is a stronger and 

 more rapid grower than the apple or the pear. For that reason it is 

 planted in the orchard at an earlier age than either. Yearling peach 

 trees are considered more satisfactory by orchardists than older trees. 



