180 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



OF PEARS. 



IT is no longer questionable that the pear tree is 

 well adapted to the climate and soil of New Eng- 

 land. Although much neglected by our farmers 

 generally, numerous varieties are cultivated in dif- 

 ferent parts of Massachusetts, in great perfection. 

 All the varieties of the pear are hardy and long- 

 lived, and will flourish in a clay or loamy soil, but 

 wet situations are unfavourable. Most of the 

 directions already detailed, relative to the cultiva- 

 tion of the apple tree, may be applied to that of 

 the pear tree. The production of particular va- 

 rieties from the seed is equally capricious, and the 

 annihilation of certain kinds from long duration, is 

 supposed to be no less remarkable than in the 

 apple. The propagation of particular species is 

 effected by grafting or budding, and by this method 

 any desired variety may be obtained and perpetuat- 

 ed. Considerable attention is necessary in the 

 choice of stocks for grafting. Suckers from other 

 trees should never be employed, as they will have 

 a constant tendency to generate suckers, to the in- 

 jury of the tree. It should be observed, to graft 

 or bud summer pears only upon summer pear 

 stocks ; autumn pears upon stocks of the same 

 kind ; but never graft a winter pear upon a sum- 

 mer pear stock, for the sap of the summer pear 

 will decline or diminish, before the winter fruit has 

 sufficient time to mature and ripen. Every plan- 

 ter should keep a nursery of free stocks, by plant- 

 ing the seeds of the different varieties, arid these 

 should be taken from fair and choice fruit, and in 

 their ripe state. The season for grafting or bud- 

 ding, and the manner of performing the operation, 

 are the same as already described for the apple. 

 The pear tree will succeed very well, when' graft- 



