70 Lesso7is in Fruit Growing, 



The size of the fruit is generally increased by working on the 

 quince, but it sometimes appears to be rendered more gritty 

 in texture. A few varieties, as the Angouleme, are so much 

 improved when grown on the quince that they are seldom 

 grown otherwise. 



In planting dwarf pears, the quince stock is commonly 

 placed a little below the surface to evade the round-headed 

 borer (57), which often attacks the quince, but rarely th& 

 pear. The trees are commonly pruned to a conical form, 

 6 or 7 feet in diameter at the base and 10 or 12 feet in 

 height, the lower branches reaching nearly to the ground. 

 Dwarf pear trees grow less rapidly than those grafted on 

 pear roots. They are therefore less susceptible to blight (62), 

 and may be given more thorough cultivation and more 

 frequent manuring. Dwarf pear trees are also more se- 

 verely pruned than standards. The new growth is annu- 

 ally cut back to within 4 to 8 buds of the base, and the 

 branches are well thinned out. 



16. Distance for plantinif. Standard pear trees are usu- 

 ally planted 16 to 20 feet apart each way. Dwarf trees 

 may be planted 10 to 12 feet apart. 



TT. When to pick pears. The stage of maturity suit- 

 able for picking pears is commonly indicated by a slight 

 change in color of the skin and by the readiness with which 

 the stem separates from the tree. As a rule, the pear is 

 considered fit to pick when the stem detaches from the tree 

 on lifting the fruit until the blossom end is on a level with 

 the stem. Unlike most other fruits, the quality of the 

 pear is improved by picking before it begins to soften. 

 The finer sorts, however, as the Bartlett and Seckel, suffer 

 less when allowed to ripen on the tree than poorer ones. 

 Summer pears usually color better when ripened in the 



