256 



THE GENESEE FAEMER. 



The pear succeeds so well as an open standard, 

 and reipiires so little care for pruning — less, indeed, 

 in the latter respect, than any other fruit tree, that 

 training is seldom thought of, except iu the gardens 

 of the curious or skilfuL 



In orchard culture, tiie pear is usually planted 

 about thirty feet distant each way ; in fruit gar- 

 dens, where the heads are somewhat kept in by 

 pruning, twenty feet is considered sufficient by 

 ruaiiy. 



Peai> trees, in a bearing state, where the growth 

 is no longer luxuriant, should have, every autumn, 

 a moderate top dressing of manure, to keep them 

 in good condition. This, as it promotes steady and 

 regular growth, is far preferable to occasional 

 heavy manuring, which has a tendency to pro- 

 duce the worst form of blight to which this tree is 

 suhject. 



The pear not being very abundantly supplied 

 wit!i fibrous roots, should never be transplanted, 

 of large size, from the nursery. Small, thrifty 

 plants, live or six feet high, are much to be pre- 

 ferred. 



GATUElilXO AND KEEPING THE FRUIT. — The pCUr 



is a peculiar fruit in one respect, which should 

 always be kept in mind; viz. that most varieties 

 are murh finer in fiaeor if picked from the tree, 

 and ripfned in the house, than if allowed to be- 

 come ftdly matured on the tree. There are a few 

 exceptit)ns to this rule, but they are very few. 

 And, on the other hand, we know a great many 

 varieties which are only second or third rate, when 

 ripened on the tree, l)ut possess the highest and 

 rioliest liavor if gathered at the proper time, and 

 allowed to mature in tiie house. This proper sea- 

 son is easily known, first, by the rij)enjng of a few 

 full grown, but worm-eaten specimens, which fall 

 soonest from the tree; and, secondly, by the change 

 of color, and the readiness of the stalk to part from 

 its branch, on gently raising the fruit. The fruit 

 should then be gathered — or so much of the crop 

 as ai)pear« sufficiently matured — and spread out on 

 shelves in the fruit room or upon the floor of the 

 garret. Here it will gradually assume its full color, 

 and become deliciously melting and luscious. Many 

 sorts which, ripened in the sun and open air, are 

 rather dry, when ripened within doors are most 

 abundantly melting and juicy. They will also 

 last for a considerably longer j^eriod, if ripened iu 

 this way — nnituring gradually as wanted for use— 

 and being tlius beyond tlie ii.sk of loss or injury by 

 violent storms or high winds. 



Winter dessert pears should be allowed to hang 

 on tlie tree a.s long as possible, until the nights be- 

 con\e frosty. They should then be wrapped separ- 

 ately in paper, packed in kegs, barrels, or small 

 boxes, and placed in a cool, dry room, free from 

 frost. Some varieties, as the D'Aremberg, will 

 ripen finely wit.li no other care than placing them 

 iti barrels in the cellar, like apples. But most 

 kinds of tiie finer winter dessert pears, should be 

 brought into a warm apartment for a couple of 

 weeks before tiieir usual season of maturity. They 

 should be kept covered to prevent shriveling. 

 Many sorts that are comparatively tough if ripened 

 in a cold apartment, become very melting, buttery, 

 and juicy, when albwed to mature in a room kept 

 at the temperature of GO or 70 degrees. — A. J. 

 Dowuing^a Fruits of America. 



PRUNING CONIFERS. 



MoIntosii, in his Bot^Jc of the Ga<rden, says: 

 " As regards the season of pruning coniferous and 

 ornamental hardy trees, be they evergreen or de- 

 ciduous, winter has in general been the time 

 chosen. This is, however, a mistake — the latter 

 end of spring and tiiroughout the whole summer 

 l)eing the most proper time, because at that sea.soQ 

 the wounds made speedily heal up, on account of 

 the trees being in the full vigor of growth. 



"As the great object is altitude in the i)ine tribe, 

 the removal of the lower tiers of branches has a 

 positive tendency to etlV'ct thi.s, although it would 

 be hazardous to amputate branches of a large size. 

 Coniferous pruning should be jierforined ordy 

 during summer ; and when the trees assume fiat 

 spreading heads (we do not mean those whose 

 natural habit is to be so. but such as tlie larch, 

 silver fir, &c.), the extreme points of two or ihree 

 tiers of branches, even above that which is to be 

 removed, m.ay with great advantage be foreshort- 

 ened. This should, however, be done so as not to 

 disfigure the tree, or show the points of tlie am- 

 putated shoots. That most elegant and likely to 

 be most valuable of all our recently introduced 

 conifers, the Deo<lar cedar (Cednis JJeodurtt), i.s a 

 case in point. It naturally, while young, sends 

 out branches in a horizontal and afterwards a 

 drooping manner, and these extend themselves to 

 a great distance, often reclining on the gi'onn<l by 

 reason of their own weight. This disjiosition is 

 the cause why the leading shoot of this tree seems 

 so weak, and so seldom takes a perpeiidicultir di- 

 rection. Prune the lower branches as stated above, 

 and this apparent debility in the leader will d'sap- 

 pear, and' it will a.ssume its proper habit, and shoot 

 witJi great vigor in a per|)endicular direction. All 

 the yomig plants of tliis species, while yet in the 

 nursery, -sjiould have their lower branches taken 

 off, and those above, to the extent of two tiers, 

 foreshortened also. Tiie Canadian ])ine {Ahies 

 Canadensis) and Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrvs Lih<ini) 

 are familial* instances of sad mismanagement in 

 this respect. The former is oftener found assuming 

 the character of a flat or bushy shrub than that of 

 a tall tree ; and the latter very often a scrubby, 

 meagredooking tree, branching out within a feV 

 feet of the ground, and ramifying into innumera- 

 ble brandies, either vertical or horizontal. Now, 

 we consider (apart from the erroneous practice of 

 keeping such plants in i)ots till tlrey are fin;d]y 

 planted out) that want of judicious early ])runiiig 

 is the cause why the tormer seldom attaiiis tlie 

 character of a tree, and tlie latter becomes a cari- 

 cature of its natural habit. No doubt, in tlie cas« 

 of both there are seminal varieties occasionally 

 occurring, which nniy in some ^qw instances a©- 

 count for such forms; but, in general, it is a thor- 

 ough neglect of pruning iu youth which is the 

 principal cause. 



"Coniferous plants will bear pruning with as 

 much impunity, and with as great advantage, 88 

 other trees or jjlants, if the operation is performed 

 at the proper season and at a proper age. None, 

 however, sutler more from an opposite course." 



SriNAGB seed siiould l)e got ready to be sown in 

 September, if you wish a good supply of thi» 

 choicest of all spring greens. 



