PROPAGATION. 45 



ally liable to the attack of the leaf blight that stops their growth 

 in July. For this reason, the bed must be made unusually rich 

 with an abundance of well-rotted stable manure, and a liberal 

 supply of bone and potash. The seedlings should have the same 

 treatment as the apple in grafting and when planted for budding. 

 The best results are generally obtained from budding, although 

 some nurserymen are very successful with root-grafting. For 

 the best results, the grafts should be made early in winter, and 

 greater care is required in keeping them until spring. 



NURSERY. The soil for the growth of the tree iii the nursery 

 should be deep, rich, and rather moist, but well underdrained, 

 naturally or otherwise, and kept thoroughly cultivated. The 

 seedlings and root-grafts are planted in the same way as the ap- 

 ple and the same distance apart. At from two to four years from 

 budding the trees are ready for transplanting to the orchard. 



THE ORCHARD. For the best results, land like that described 

 for the nursery should be selected. The Pear will not prove 

 profitable upon such a great variety of soils as the apple, but 

 good fruit may be obtained in limited quantities even in poor soil, 

 if an abundance of plant-food is supplied, and mulch provided to 

 prevent the escape of moisture. 



The preparation of the land, the tree, and the methods of 

 planting are the same as for the apple, to which the reader is 

 referred. 



The- Pear tree naturally grows in a pyramidal form, and, while 

 it sometimes grows as large in diameter as the apple tree, it is 

 more compact and requires less distance. Fifteen by twenty feet 

 are the best distances, according to the variety and method of 

 training'. Such varieties as the Seckel, Giffard, Bartlett, etc., 

 and other varieties if unpruned at the ends, and most other 

 kinds, if kept well headed-m, need not have more than 

 the former space, while Clapp's, Boussock, etc., should not 

 be planted less than the latter distance. 



FORMING THE HEAD. During the first few years of its growth 

 after planting in the orchard, the Pear tree has a tendency to 

 growth in only two or three leading shoots. All but one of these 

 must be pinched in at once, and the centre one or leader must be 

 pinched a little later and be forced to throw out laterals. In the 

 formation of the head, the branches should be distributed along 

 the leader, as shown in Fig. 13, Page 15. Close attention must 

 be given to prevent, by pinching, any branches out-growing the 

 leader, or from growing more upon one side than the other. 



In land that must be cultivated, the head should be formed at 

 least five feet high, to enable teams to work readily under the 

 branches. 



THE AGE OF BEARING. The Pear tree may be expected to 

 produce paying crops of fruit from five to eight years from 

 planting in the orchard, according to the variety. Unless at- 

 tacked by disease it will bear for fifty years and upward. Like 



