DWARF PEAR TREES. 13 



conditions of success are precisely the same as those required for 

 strili;ing cuttings. Standards made in this way have the advantage 

 over those grafted on seedling pear stocks that they -do not send 

 down long tap roots into cold, ungenial soils to the injury of the 

 tree and fruit. 



Hervey Davis, chairman of the Fruit Committee, said that his 

 estimate of the value of dwarf pear trees was such that if there 

 were no dwarfs he did not think there would be any inducement to 

 go into the cultivation of pears as a matter of profit. He spoke of 

 the orchard of Stephen Hill at AUston, where, for several succes- 

 sive years large quantities of Duchess pears had been sold from 

 dwarf trees, as the most successful instance of pear growing 

 within his knowledge. He favored planting deep enough to root 

 from the pear, as, when the trees grow large and tall, they are apt 

 to blow over, if supported only by the small root of the quince. If 

 kept properly pruned and pinched they would not be liable to this 

 danger, but however closely young and enthusiastic cultivators 

 may at first attend to keeping their trees dwarf, they find it every 

 year an increasing labor, and sooner or later it is neglected, and 

 then the trees shoot up heaA^y tops and fall over, unless supported ' 

 by the strong pear root. 



Benjamin G. Smith said that a large part of his pear trees were 

 French dwarfs, and that he had been highly pleased with their 

 success. 



Marshall P. Wilder had not had the pleasure of hearing Mr. 

 Wood's essay, but he had had a great deal of experience with 

 dwarf pear trees during the last forty years, and was strongly in 

 favor of them on account of their early bearing. Two thirds of his 

 collection were originally on quince roots, and by using this stock 

 he was not only able to test many new varieties in much less time 

 than would have been required with standards, but to furnish himself 

 with fruit in a very few years. Viewed in this light dwarfs were not 

 only exceedingly useful to the amateur and expei'imenter with new 

 fruits, but a great blessing to the family. He did not concur with 

 Mr. Hovey's view that the dwarf, when rooting from the pear 

 sends out one-sided roots. Some varieties, such as the Vicar, 

 send out roots freely all round, without the trouble of lipping, 

 and, the quince dying out, they made the very best standards he 

 had got. His system was to plant standards sixteen feet apart, 

 with dwarfs between, and when the standards grew so large as to 



