PEAR 



PEAR 



1243 



1682. Section of the Kieffer 

 Pear, to show its ordinary 

 form in the North. 



the blight. Therefore the most careful Pear growers use 

 sparingly of stable manure and of nitrogenous cover- 

 crops. They prefer to supply fertility by means of con- 

 centrated fertilizers which are not very rich in nitrogen. 

 If, however, the trees are 

 not making a strong and 

 steady growth, it is as nec- 

 essary to apply nitrogenous 

 fertilizers to the Pear tree 

 as to any other. In the in- 

 terior country. Pears are 

 likely to sutler from sun- 

 scald, and therefore the tops 

 are started very low, usually 

 not more than two or three 

 feet from the ground. Stand- 

 ard Pears are pruned much 

 AS apple trees are, except 

 not so severely. Heavy 

 pruning tends to open the 

 top and to invite sun-scald, 

 and it also tends to make 

 too strong and sappy growth. 

 After the top of the Pear 

 tree is well formed and es- 

 tablished, it is customary to 

 do little pruning, only keep- 

 ing the top fairly free and 

 open. The Pear bears on 

 spurs which continue to branch and to bear for a number 

 of years, and in pruning it is important that these spurs 

 be not removed unless it is desired to thin the fruit. 

 The flowers are borne in umbel-like cymes (Fig. 1684), 

 but in most cases only one fruit sets in a cluster. Pear 

 trees are usually planted much closer than apple trees. 

 The customary distance is 18-20 feet. Fig. 1686 shows 

 an average east-American Pear orchard. 



Many of the varieties of Pears are infertile with them- 

 selves : they need the pollen of other varieties in order 

 to cause them to set fruit freely. Probably any variety 

 will fertilize any other variety in case the two bloom 

 simultaneously. Such varieties as Kieffer and Bartlett 

 are usually classed as self-sterile kinds, but the degree 

 of sterility varies in different places and with different 

 conditions. The safest plan in the setting of a Pear 

 orchard is to plant not more than two rows of one va- 

 riety together, and to alternate with one or two rows of 

 another variety. 



Good varieties of Pears are numerous. The one most 

 important variety is the Bartlett (Fig. 1685), which was 

 early introduced into the United States from Europe, 

 where it is known as the Bonchretien. At the 

 present time the Kieffer probably holds sec- 

 ond place. In the eastern states, the Seckel 

 ( Fig. 1687) is a prominent variety, and is the 

 standard of quality. Other prominent varie- 

 ties are Anjou (Fig. 1688), Clairgeau, Hardy, 

 Howell, Sheldon, and Diel. The list might 

 be almost indefinitely extended. In the Gulf 

 region the oriental hybrids alone are success- 

 ful, and the leaders are Kieffer, LeConte, 

 Garber, and Smith. The season of the ma- 

 turity of Pears runs from midsummer, when 

 it is introduced by Summer Doyenne and 

 Manning Elizabeth, to late winter, when it is 

 closed with such late winter varieties as Nelis, 

 Josephine de Malines and others. The winter 

 Pears are relatively little known in the east- 

 ern states. As a rule, they come into bearing 

 late or are not very prolific; but there is no 

 reason why they should not be better known. 

 Winter Pears are kept as winter apples are, 

 although somewhat greater care is necessary. 

 They should be kept in a uniformly cool 

 temperature. If allowed to hang too long on 

 the tree, they become over-ripe; and then if 

 placed in an ordinarily warm cellar, they do 

 not keep more than one or two months. Un- 

 like most other fruits, all Pears are greatly improved in 

 quality if they are ripened indoors. They should be 

 picked as soon as they have reached their full size and 

 have begun to color, but before they have become soft, 

 and be placed in a dry and rather cool room. If the wind 



is allowed to blow over them, they are likely to .shrivel. 

 If kept too warm, they ripen too quickly and soon fot. 

 The best quality is secured when they are picked about 

 two weeks in advance of their normal ripening. 



When worked on the quince root, the Pear is easily 

 grown as a dwarf. It then comes into bearing ear- 

 lier, and, since the trees are small, the fruit can be 

 thinned and the trees sprayed, and the fruit therefore 

 should be of the highest quality. Dwarf Pear trees re- 

 quire more care than the ordinary standards, however. 

 and they should not be planted unless the cultivator 

 understands this fact and is willing to give the atten- 

 tion that they need. Although the trees are by nature 

 dwarf, since they are worked on a smaller-growing spe- 

 cies, they nevertheless tend to become half standard if 

 left to themselves. Therefore they must be very severely 

 headed-in every year. A dwarf Pear tree should never 

 reach a greater height than twelve feet. In order to 

 keep it down to this stature, from one-half to two-thirds 

 of the annual growth is removed late each winter. The 

 trees are often planted as close together as ten feet each 

 way, but this is too close. With the ordinary broad-top 

 pruning, which nearly all American growers give, one 

 rod apart each way is not too great. A good dwarf 

 Pear tree is one in which the union with the quince 

 stock is very close to the ground. When the tree is 

 planted, this union should be from four to six inches be- 

 low the surface after the ground has settled. This deep 

 planting prevents the breaking of the union and places 

 the quince beyond the reach of borers. If planted 

 deeper than this, the Pear cion may throw out roots of 

 its own; in fact, it sometimes does this if planted only 

 six inches deep. This -rooting of the stock is no par- 

 ticular disadvantage, although the tree thereafter tends 

 to grow stronger and greater pruning is necessary. An 

 expert grower can pick out the trees which are rooted 

 from the Pear stock by their more vigorous growth: 

 if he desires to check this redundant growth he may cut 

 off the Pear roots. It is the common opinion that dwarf 

 Pear trees are short-lived. This may be true as regards 

 the greater number of specimens which one sees about 

 yards and on uritilled areas, but a dwarf Pear orchard 

 on good, well-drained ground, which is well-tilled and 

 given regular pruning, will last a lifetime. There are 

 dwarf Pear orchards in New York state which are fifty 

 years old and are still thrifty and productive. The va- 

 riety that is oftenest grown as a dwarf is the Duchess 

 (Duchess de Angouleme). Fig. 1689. This is a large 

 Pear of irregular shape which sells well because of its 

 size, but it is of indifferent quality and may not be good 

 enough for a special or personal market. Other varie- 



1683. 



The Kieffer Pear, now one of the most important commercial 

 varieties (X%). 



ties popular for dwarfs are Louise Bonne, Anjou, Clair- 

 geau, Manning Elizabeth, and, to a less extent, Bartlett 

 and Seckel. The Kieffer is now and then grown on 

 dwarf stock with very good results. 

 The insect enemies of the Pear are numerous, but, 



