P Y R 



P Y R 



transplanted ; younger trees, however, always 

 succectl well, even when only two or three vears 

 old. 



In selcctini^ pear-trees for planting, Mr. For- 

 syth advises ihe ehoosing of the oldest trees that 

 can be found instead of the young ones, and 

 such as have airong stems ; to have tlicm care- 

 fully taken up, with as much of the roots as 

 possible, and carefully planted, after cutting in 

 the roots a little, spreading them as horizontally 

 as can be done. Then to fill up all round the 

 roots with light dry mould ; forcing it in, about 

 those \vhich lie hollow, with a sharp-pointed 

 stick ; filling the whole up to the top without 

 treading the mould, till the hole be first filled 

 with as niueh water as it will contain, leaving it 

 a day or two until the ground has absorbed the 

 water ; then to throw on some fresh dry mould 

 and tread it as hard as possible, filling the hole 

 up again with mould to within an inch of the 

 top, and giving it a second watering, leaving the 

 mould about three inches higher than the bor- 

 der, to settle of itself, and to receive the rain 

 that falls, for at least a month. When the 

 mould has become quite dry, it may be trodden 

 a second time; then make a large bason all 

 round the tree, and giving it another watering, 

 mulching the top over with some rotten leaves 

 or dung, continuing to water the trees once a 

 week in dry weather, and sprinkling the tops fre- 

 quently with a pot, or hand engine, to keep the 

 wood from shrivelling till they have taken fresh 

 root : — and where the trees are planted against a 

 wall, the stems should stand sloping towards it ; 

 the lower parts of them being six inches from the 

 bottom of the wall, to give them room to grow, 

 as when planted close to the wall at bottom, the 

 stems, in growing, will, he says, be confined on 

 the back, grow flat, and be very unsightly. 

 If any roots are in the way, to hinder it from 

 being planted near enough to the wall, they 

 must be cut off; at the same time taking care 

 that the tree does not lean to either side, but 

 that, when viewed in front, it appear perfectly 

 upright. Sometimes standards and half-stand- 

 ards are, he says, seen planted a foot or two from 

 the wall, which gives them a very disagreeable ap- 

 pearance : six inches is, he thinks, quite suffi- 

 cient. Much care should be taken not to wound 

 the stem or root of the tree in planting. 



When young trees have two stems, he advises 

 always to cut off one of them, leaving the stout- 

 est and straightest, planting that side outwards 

 which has most buds on it. 



It is added, that when the buds begin to break 

 well, the trees should be headed down to three or 

 four eyes, to fill the wall with fine wood, but ne- 

 ver afterward, except the leading shoot to fill the 

 Vol. II. 



wall, leaving the fore-right shoots to be pruned, 

 as hereafter directed. He has "had some trees 

 that had forty pears on them the second year ; 

 while some of the same kind bore only eleven 

 pe.irs the fourteenth year after planting with the 

 conunon method of pruninrr." 



When such old trees as recommended above 

 cannot be procured, the stoutest and cleanest of 

 the one-year's old alter grafting should, he says, 

 be provided. 



Where any of these trees become stunted after 

 a number of years, they should be headed dowrt 

 as hereafter directed, which will bring them into 

 fresh vigour and fruitfulness. 



The proper season for planting them out is 

 any time in open weather from the end of Oc- 

 tober till March, but the autunm or early win- 

 ter are the most advantageous ])eriods. 



They succeed well in any common garderl 

 soil, or good fertile orchard-ground, or field, that 

 is not very wet, or of a stiff or stubborn qua- 

 lity, but moderately light and friable to the depth 

 of one spade at least, and if more the better. 

 The ground should be prepared by proper trench- 

 ing one or two spades deep, as the depth of good 

 soil will admit, wholly if for a full plantation, 

 or only along the place for each row of trees, in 

 the place for each tree ; or only a hole for each 

 tree at proper distances. 



The proper distance for planting the dwarf 

 sorts for walls or on espaliers, is for those on 

 free stocks at not less than twenty feet, but if 

 twenty-five, or more, the better, especially if the 

 wails be rather low, &c. that there may be full 

 scope to extend their branches considerably in a 

 horizontal direction, as they will efl'ectually fill 

 that space, or even much more if it be allowed' 

 them ; but they are often planted much nearer 

 together. It is however of importance to give 

 these trees sufficient room, and the higher the 

 walls the better, as is evident by those trees grow- 

 ing against the ends of high buildings, as they 

 extend themselves very considerably every way. 

 Some plant cherry-trees or other moderate 

 shooting fruit-trees in the intervals for a few 

 years, till the pears advance in growth and ap- 

 proach one another, when they should be re- 

 moved. They are to be planted in the usual way, 

 with their heads erttire. See Planting. 



But for trees that are dwarfed by grafting or 

 budding upon quince-stocks, from fifteen to 

 eighteen feet may be a proper distance for plant- 

 ing, either for walls or espaliers. 



In respect to the distance at which pear- 

 trees should be planted against walls, it is ob- 

 served by Mr. Forsyth that when they " are 

 grafted on free stocks, such as Colmars, Pear 

 D'Auche,Crasanes,L'Esehasseries,Virgouleuses, 

 28 



