50 



not willingly pay this small amount, rather than always have 

 his land wet and unfit for trees, or even early garden vegetables. 

 We would not wish to infer that only land which is damp 

 enough to need underdraining is suitable for pear trees.; but 

 the dryer the land the more will it need to be enriched. 



It is important that pear trees should have shelter, or protec- 

 tion from the wind both in summer and winter. Perhaps the 

 principal reason why they do so much better in city lots than 

 in the country, is that they are so much better sheltered by 

 buildings, fences, shade trees, etc. In planting pears in the 

 open country, choose a location, if possible, where the wind is 

 broken off on the west and north (or better on all sides) by a 

 belt of trees, hills or buildings. When there is plenty of good 

 land and no shelter, it would be advisable to ])lant belts of 

 trees around it. Probably there is nothing better or mo-e 

 economical for the purpose, than a single row of Norwoy 

 spruce, planted four or five feet apart around the most exposed 

 sides. The white or Scotch pine would do very well if the land 

 was cheap, and sometimes arbor vifge makes a fine wind-breji.c, 

 but it is more apt to winterkill than either of the others. 

 If the soil is not rich, it should be made so by heavily manur- 

 ing at least a year before the trees are planted. 



Many people are careful to select none but large trees to 

 plant, thinking they will bear much sooner than small ones. 

 If these could be taken up with all their roots, and quickly and 

 carefully reset, they would, without doubt, bear in a very short 

 time ; but in the way they are generally taken up, leaving most 

 of the roots in the ground, and planted leaving on all the top, 

 they are apt to linger along for years (if they live at all) before 

 recovering from the treatment. A moderate sized tree, with a 

 vigorous, healthy growth and plenty of good, fibrous roots, will 

 generally in five years be better than the large one, transplanted 

 as above ; but for orchard planting, or for a hundred or more 

 trees, we would advise not to take more than two or three 

 years from the bud, but those the very best selection. Trees 

 are often much injured by exposing the roots to the sun or 

 wind. We should remember that all their nom"ishment is 



