PEAR 



PEAR 



1247 



cion is generally, if not always, imperfect; and such 

 uncongenial combinations are therefore usually short- 

 lived. The quince is the only dissimilar stock upon 

 which the Pear is extensively grown. Quince stocks for 

 this purpose are largely imported from France. The 

 Angers quince is generally preferred for this purpose. 

 These stocks aie usually planted in nursery rows at the 

 age of two years, to be budded during the following 

 summer, in the same manner as Pear stocks. When 

 intended for dwarf trees, nurserymen usually cut them 

 back after one year's growth from the bud to the nearly 

 uniform height of 18 inches, although with the more 

 upright-growing varieties it is by many deemed prefer- 

 able to branch them even 6 or 8 inches lower. Aside from 

 the height at which they should be branched, the prun- 

 ing and management should be identical with that pre- 

 scribed for standards, with the important exception that 

 when planted out for fruiting the junction between the 

 quince and the Pear should be 3 or 4 inches below the 

 surface to encourage the formation of roots from the 

 Pear. Trees thus planted will commence to bear, while 

 yet growing, solely from the quince stock, and will con- 

 tinue to produce fruit after rooting from the Pear, thus 

 affording the early fruiting of the dwarf, as well as the 

 permanency of the standard. 



Not more than a specimen or two should be per- 

 mitted to grow upon a dwarf the first and second years 

 after planting. Such trees, if left to fruit freely, will 

 almost certainly be ruined from overbearing before 

 they are fully established. Many varieties when grown 

 as dwarfs can never be safely allowed to mature more 

 than a small portion of the fruit which they will natur- 

 ally set. 



While several varieties are found to be especially suc- 

 cessful when grown upon the quince, most others prove 

 only moderately so, requiring careful and expert man- 

 agement to insure satisfactory results. A few others, 

 of which Bosc nray be named as a prominent case, are 

 obstinately unsuccessful upon the quince, and even 

 when double - worked upon a dwarf of a congenial 

 variety, their success appears to be by no means as- 

 sured. 



Dwarf trees trained as hereinbefore specified, are 

 commonly known as half-standards. Other and more 

 elaborate forms are known as pyramids, cordons, 

 etc., descriptions of which are not deemed necessary 

 here. 



8. Choice of Trees. Aside from the selection of the 

 location for an orchard, the first important particular 

 is the selection of the trees, leaving the choice of varie- 

 ties for subsequent consideration. Trees of one year's 

 growth from the bud are to be preferred for the follow- 

 ing reasons: (1) Fewer roots need be injured or lost in 

 the process of lifting and replanting, for which reason 

 the tree may be expected the more promptly to recover 

 from the shock of removal. (2) The single season's 

 growth may be cut back and the top commenced to suit 

 the preferences of the planter. (3) The top will present 

 little or no obstacle to the force of the wind until the 

 roots shall have gained such hold upon the soil that 

 there will remain little liability to displacement from 

 this cause. (4) The risk of failure from removal is 

 greatly diminished, while the more prompt recovery and 

 increased rate of growth of the trees in the more open 

 orchard rows may be expected to fully compensate for 

 one or two years more of growth in crowded nursery 

 rows. (5) Something will also be saved in the cost of 

 the trees and in the expense of transportation, as well 

 as in the labor of planting. 



If older or high-branched trees are not objected to, it 

 will usually be found that they are but imperfectly 

 branched from having been grown in crowded rows. 



9. Preparation of the Soil. When the late Dr. John 

 A. Warder was asked how large the holes should be 

 dug for planting orchard trees, he replied, "Of the 

 full size of the orchard;" and it may also be remarked 

 that when the ground for an orchard has been well 

 tilled and fertilized to a depth at least equal to that 

 at which trees are to be planted, there is no longer 

 occasion for holes larger than shall be necessary to re- 

 ceive the roots in their proper position. If the subsoil 

 be not freely pervious to water the ground must be 

 deeply and thoroughly underdrained, and in no case 



79 



should the hole in which a tree is to be planted be sunk 

 into a subsoil so impervious as to retain water beneath 

 or about its roots. If such retentive subsoil occurs too 

 near the surface, and is not considered suitable to be 

 mixed w T ith the surface soil, it should be thoroughly 

 disintegrated to the requisite depth by means of a 

 subsoil plow or other equivalent device. In all nearly 

 level, retentive soils, it will be found advantageous to 

 "back-furrow" a land along the line of each row in 

 the direction of the surface drainage, so that when the 

 trees have been planted the drainage will be away from 

 them. 



10. .Laying Out, Staking and Planting. The most 

 economical mode of laying out and planting an orchard, 

 so far as space is concerned, is doubtless that com- 

 monly, but erroneously, designated as quincunx, and 

 more correctly as hexagonal; but whether planted thus, 

 or in rectangles, the work may be most rapidly and ac- 

 curately done by planting a stake where each tree is to 

 stand, and using what is known as a planting board, 

 consisting of a strip of board 6 or 7 feet long, with a 

 hole for a stake near each end, and a notch or slot in- 

 termediate and in line between them to receive the 

 stake, and to support the tree while the earth is being 

 carefully filled in, under, among and above its roots. 



1688. Anjou, one of the popular late fall and early winter 

 Pears (X %). (See page 1243.) 



The following are good general rules to be observed 

 in the digging, handling, preparing and planting of 

 trees : 



1st. In digging trees aim to secure as many of the 

 main fibrous roots as possible. 



2d. Expose the roots as little as possible to the dry- 

 ing influence of sun and wind. 



3d. Prepare the roots for planting by cutting away 

 the bruised and broken portions. 



4th. If the roots have been essentially shortened in 

 lifting, cut away the superfluous branches and also cut 

 back such as are to remain till a proper balance of root 

 and top is secured. 



5th. In heavy, retentive soil, plant the tree very little 

 if any deeper than it stood in the nursery, and, in addi- 

 tion, raise a slight mound about the trunk to avoid the 

 occurrence of standing water at that point. 



6th. In strong but dry soil, a tree may be planted an 

 inch or two deeper than it stood in the nursery. 



7th. In light sand, with dry subsoil, a tree should be 

 planted 3 or even 4 inches deeper than it stood in the 

 nursery. 



