88 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Mar. 



Pears on Quince Stocks. 



We have lately heard a little on this subject, but I imag- 

 ine before long we shall hear a great deal more : my own 

 information, you will perceive is very limited, and my ob- 

 ject is to draw attention to the subject. I shall also have 

 to name Mr. River'^, of Sawbridgeworth, several times, so 

 that 1 may appear to some to be a commission agent of his ; 

 but I beg to say, although I have been in his garden, I 

 have never seen hmi in my life, and I much fear he would 

 not employ me as his advocate if he needed one. 



Before speaking of these beautiful little trees, I would 

 ^^•all to your mind the very injurious efi'ect produced upon 

 tile soil of gardens, both great and small, by the shade of 

 large old pear trees ; in fact, in many instances the ground 

 is rendered almost useless. 



Pears are generally many years before they produce 

 fruit, and in small gardens they are unsightly, from being 

 vastly disproportioned to the inclosure, and if any attempt 

 be made at reducing them in size, their productiveness is 

 sure to be destroyed, so that a small garden enclosed by 

 walls is better without standard Pear trees. Under these 

 circumstances the owner is deprived of the most valuable 

 of all dessert fruits, for although the Peach and Nectarine 

 may be more highly flavored, they can be only had for a 

 small part of the year, but the Pear may be enjoyed all the 

 year round. 



Apples are also undesirable in small gardens, but they 

 may be bought reasonably ; but the liner sorts of winter 

 pears can only be obtained in large towns at large prices. 

 If, therefore, a mode can be shown by which a large quan- 

 tity of the very finest pears can be produced from trees 

 which, instead of being unsightly and injurious, are not 

 only harmless, but extremely ornamental, a benefit of a 

 very high order is obtained. 



If any one doubts whether this can be done, let him 

 send to Mr. Rivers for a few of his root-pruned, Quince- 

 grafted, pyramidal Pear trees, and request him also to send 

 his directions for the mode of managing their roots, as 

 every thing depends on this being done with judgment, and 

 I will venture to say that he will be so pleased that next 

 year he will procure as many trees of different kinds as he 

 has room for in his garden. 



These little trees are exceedingly tractable and manage- 

 able, and the process is so simple, that although every tree 

 may require somewhat di*lerent treatment, yet there will 

 be found no difliculty in deciding upon each case, and the 

 pruning of a hundred of such Pear trees would only be an 

 amusement for a lady, with a small pair of nippers, and the 

 root-pruning under her directions might occupy a laborer 

 half a day in November. The treatment is as follows : 

 Having procured the trees, and if for trial I would leave the 

 choice to Mr. Rivers, plant them up to the insertion of the 

 graft, mulch them, and water diligently from April, until 

 they are thoroughly established, and afterwards in dry 

 weather. I can say from experience the fruit will be found 

 as fine, as large, and as good flavored as from a tree of 10 

 year's standing in the same ground. 



In July, if any shoot grows longer than is consistent 

 with symmetry, shorten it with the nippers or the thumb 

 and finger to its proper limit, and if it produces a fresh 

 shoot where shortened, cut that shoot back in October 

 about the eighth of an inch beyond the place from whence 

 the summer shoot sprung ; but if several shoots have re- 

 quired shortening, and have also produced summer shoots, 

 and not many blossom buds have been developed, then the 

 tree requires root-pruning. 



It is not a good practice, as recommended by some, to 

 leave all the terminal shoots to draw the superabundant 

 sap from the blossom-buds, because being left growing they 

 also greatly strengtlien the roots and enlarge the stem of 

 the tree, whereas if root-pruning be duly attended to there 

 will be no danger in shortening all the shoots in July. 



If the tree makes only a few inches of wood, and the 

 terminal buds are blossom-buds, they are not to be short- 

 ened, nor arc the roots to be pruned. If the tree is not 

 .symmetrical, and requires a shoot or two to balance it, 

 make a deep notch over any dormant eye, and it will 

 break next spring. 



In shortenmg any shoot, consider whether you would 

 like the new shoot to be right or left of the pruned shoot, and 

 cut to an eye accordingly ; but if the tree is pretty well 

 balanced, any shoot that is shortened should have the last 

 eye downwards, which has a tendency to cheek luxuriance 



by inclining the growth from the perpendicular line. Aim 

 eventually to make your tree about 6 feet high, or 7 feet at 

 the utmost limit, and from 2 to 2.3 feet wide at the broadest 

 part, which will be at 1.^ foot to 2 feet from the ground m 

 a well proportioned tree, although the branches will begin 

 to grow within six inches of the ground ; from the broadest 

 part it should taper regularly to the lop. 



As soon as this point of growth is attained, root-prune 

 more severely than before, causing the tree to produce 

 nothing but blossom-buds ; it will thus become a full-grown, 

 full-bearing, Lilliputian or miniature Pear tree for a century. 

 Is this true ? If so, how beautiful and how profitable ! If 

 false, let reasons be given why it cannot be effected. It is 

 said it may he done in France, but not in the moist climate 

 of England ; but if I can get a tree three feet high, and in 

 six or eight months from the nursery, to produce a full crop 

 of fruit of full size and excellent flavor, merely by trans- 

 planting or root-pruning, why not at t; or 7 feet ? because a 

 tree once brought to a full bearing condition, the habit 

 may be perpetuated, provided the means which produced 

 this habit be continued. 



I have lately seen a row of Pears on Quince stocks of 16 

 to 20 year's growth, grafted low , and another row grafted 

 standard height ; in both cases the branches are down al- 

 most to the ground, but ever since they were planted there 

 has been open warfare between them and the pruner, the 

 tree constantly shooting upwards or naturally, thegardener 

 saying — No, you must grow downwards or unnaturally 

 and so cutting oft" the upright growths in winter, not daring 

 to do this in summer ; this luxuriant growth being thus far 

 indulged, causes proportionate vigor in tlie roots, and a 

 great increase in the size of the trunk ; there are conse- 

 quently roots and a trunk adapted to a tree of 25 or 30 feet 

 high, whereas the poor tortured thing is never suffered to 

 rise above 7, presenting the unsightly appearance of a kind 

 of Brobdignag dwarf or stump, instead of the Lilliputian, 

 I wish to introduce to you notice and protection. 



That these Brobdignags bear fruit I do not deny, but that 

 they bear as fine fruit as a tree with a stem proportioned to 

 its head, and with roots proportioned to both, and growing 

 in a natural form, and with the features of a full-grown 

 tree, requiring little or no pruning, I do certainly disbelieve; 

 and I can safely affirm I had finer fruit from my Lilliputians 

 than I could find on the Brobdignags; but fruit is not the 

 only point, the pleasure of a garden depends as much upon 

 its beauty as its utility; and as these unnatural looking trees 

 are at all times unpleasmg objects, so the miniature Pear- 

 tree is an agreeable sight even without its leaves, and either 

 in blossom or with n crop of fruit, perfectly delightful; 

 and actually attracts more attention and admiration than 

 even the flower borders. — Londo7i Gardeners' Chronicle. 



Hedgks. — People in all parts of the country 

 are becoming sensible of the beauty and utility 

 of hedges. In the north, English and native 

 Hawthorn seem to be the most suitable ; through- 

 out the west and south the Osage Orange (Ma- 

 dura aurantiaca,) bids fair to take the lead. — 

 This plant is of a rapid vigorous growth, bushy 

 habit, with shining leaves, and strong sharp 

 spines, every way fitted to make a beautiful and 

 powerfully resistive hedge. We do not believe 

 it hardy enough for this section, but in all places 

 as far south as Philadelphia it is found perfectly 

 so. It is doing well in Ohio and other western 

 states, and it is to be hoped that in a few years 

 all the fine gardens, orchards, and farms of the 

 west will be enclo.sed with Madura hedges. — 

 We are glad to see that a large supply of the 

 seed has been brouglit into Ohio from Texas. — 

 Our friend Bateham, at Columbus, can supply 

 any quantity, as will be seen by his advertise- 

 ment in this paper. 



Answer to S. B., of Lafayette, in our ne.xt. 



