killed. The trees are usually planted 20 to 25 feet 

 apart. The practice of cultivation is much the 

 same as with the stone fruits. Pruning is usu- 

 ally to the vase form of tree. The fruit should 

 be thinned out on heavily loaded trees or else it is 

 liable to run to small and unmerchantable sizes. 

 The fruit of summer and autumn sorts should 

 be gathered at the first indication of ripeness, 

 the first sign being the tendency of the stem to part from 

 the spur when the pear is gently raised. Late pears should 

 hang as long as possible; a slight frost will not injure 

 them as much as premature gathering. They should then be 

 placed in a dark cool place, where they will ripen, acquiring 

 a delicious aroma, fine flavor, and a melting characteristic 

 pleasing to the palate when eaten. The demand for this 

 fruit both in the green and dried state is increasing yearly, 

 and there seems to be no ground to fear over production. 

 Follow the instructions given for pruning the apple and 

 you can't go wrong in pruning the pear. The trees 



The same tree 



pruned. 

 Note sturdiness 



of the 



branches 



and the 



typical goblet 



form 



Here is indicated 



an even and 



well balanced 



distribution of 



branches, capable 



of sustaining a 



heavy crop 



without undue 



propping. 



should be cut back to 20 inches from the top of the 

 ground after planting. The form of the tree will be a 

 sufficient guide as to what plan to follow to develop a shapely 

 tree in future years. Prune every year. No tree responds 

 so readily to the pruning shear as the pear; it assumes the 

 characteristic vase form as if shaped by a magic hand. The 

 tendency to allow the trees to grow unpruned, and as a result 

 to send up a lot of straight shoots so closely crowded that 

 they can not develop and are entirely devoid of laterals, is 

 a common ami reprehensible practice among many growers, 

 and in consequence of this the fruit is all in the tops of the 

 trees. If they do happen to have a heavy crop, unless very 

 carefully propped, they break off. Pruning the tree regularly 

 each year, causes it to not only become stocky, but also 

 develops a bearing surface, which starts where the branches 

 diverge from the main stem, to the very top of the tree. 

 The tree in addition to this, becomes self supporting and 

 it will carry a crop of fruit through the season with hardly 

 a prop to support the heavy laden branches. 



DWARF PEAJIS 



The man who wants fruit in a hurry will have his wishes 

 fulfilled by planting pears worked on quince root. Trees 

 will come into bearing two years after being planted out. 



8 



