

PRUNING AND GENERAL CULTIVATION. 131 



pruning, causing the growth to be too rank, with, the 

 effect that rapidly formed and immature wood, when 

 exposed to sudden changes of temperature, undergoes 

 rupture of the tissues, and the sap exudes in the form 

 of gum, causing a wound which is difficult to heal, and 

 soon becomes fatal to the tree. To avoid it, discourage 

 all coarse growth, and endeavour to get all wood well 

 ripened. 



Pears, Fan-Trained. 



Pruning. These, when procured from the nursery, 

 should be trees similarly trained to peaches, as shown in 

 Fig. 32 ; and if planted in the autumn they may be 

 pruned the same as shown in Fig. 32. In the case of 

 small trees, they may be cut back closer than older 

 ones. If planted in the spring, however, it is safest 

 not to prune at all until the following season ; but simply 

 to secure them to the wires or wall. They will then 

 by autumn have made abundance of rootlets, and will re- 

 spond more freely to the knife when pruned. When the 

 young growth has attained the length of twelve to fifteen 

 inches, this should be tied or nailed into the positions re- 

 quired, taking care not to unduly crowd the tree. The 

 front or breast shoots should not be cut clean away, as in 

 the case of peaches, but spurred back to within two inches 

 of the stem, as pears produce their fruit principally upon 

 spurs, the formation of which in every case should be 

 encouraged. The after-pruning consists in cutting the 

 main or leading shoots back every season, until the tree 

 is well furnished and the wall is covered with good wood. 

 This pruning may be done at any time from November 

 to February, when the weather is favourable. After the 

 fruit has well set and the tree has attained a fair size, 



