PEARS. 



It is hoped that new settlers in Florida will direct their at- 

 tention to the cultivation of all the kinds of Sweet Almonds, 

 together with Olives, Figs, &c., which in that climate will 

 require but little attention to have them in perfection, and 

 in the greatest abundance. 



CHAPTER XL 



CULTIVATION OF PEARS. 



Propagation. 



Pears are propagated by budding and grafting, either 

 upon the common Pear stock or upon the Quince. The 

 Pear stock is intended, and indeed it is the only one, for all 

 such varieties of the Pear as are intended for open standards, 

 or for orchard planting ; and it is probably the best, also, 

 generally speajting, for such other sorts as are intended for 

 training, where durability is required. 



The Quince stock for Pears, has long since been made 

 use of by the French gardeners, and for almost every pur- 

 pose ; but in this country it is used only for such sorts as 

 are intended for open dwarfs, arid those low standards lately 

 introduced by the French, and trained, as they term it, en 

 quenouille, from its faint resemblance in form to the distaff 

 formerly used in spinning. 



These latter occupy but little space in a garden, are pro- 

 ductive, and the fruit they produce is far superior to that 

 which is grown upon the common standard. 



In raising of standard Pears for the orchard, it is neces- 

 sary to have strong stocks, and such as have been quartered 

 out, at least two years, in order that they may throw up the 

 young shoot with vigour.* As I have stated before, it is by 

 far the most preferable way to bud them instead of grafting 



* Pear stocks should be raised from seed ; suckers are very bad stocks, and \viJl 

 never make good trees. To raise Pear stocks : Let the seeds be procured from 

 common Pears, sowed and managed as for Apples, except that as Pear seed- 

 lings are more tender than apple seedlings, they must be protected thiough the 

 winters by hoops and mats and dry leaves filled in between the rows, commencing as 

 early as November. The stocks should be protected until fit to put out in Nurse- 

 ry rows about four years old. I have lost thousands of young Pears by neglecting 

 tliis precaution. Jim. Ed. 



