98 Lessons in Fruit Growing. 



129. Propagation. The apricot is commonly budded upon 

 seedlings of the peach (115) both in the east and west. Plum 

 stocks are sometimes used for adapting it to soils where 

 peach stocks do not thrive. 



130. Insects and diseases. The plum curculio (99) is the 

 most serious insect enemy of the apricot. In California 

 the tree is troubled by various scale insects (142). The foli- 

 age is sometimes injured by the shot-hole fungus {Cylin- 

 drosporium imdi), for which Bordeaux mixture is a pre- 

 ventive. 



SUMMARY OF THE PEAR, QUIN"CE AND STONE FRUITS. 



1. The cultural range of the pear is much restricted 

 owing to its susceptibility to fire blight (TO). 



2. A well-drained clay soil of moderate fertility, and a 

 cool, airy location suit the pear best (71). 



3. The tillage and fertilization of the standard-pear or- 

 chard should be less thorough than that recommended for 

 the apple (73). The dwarf-pear orchard may be more liber- 

 ally tilled, manured and pruned than the standard-pear or- 

 chard (75). 



4. The standard pear is commonly grafted upon pear 

 seedlings; the dwarf pear upon the French quince. Pear 

 seedlings are liable to be destroyed by leaf blight, and by 

 being heaved out by frost. A few varieties of the pear are 

 more successful when worked upon the quince than upon 

 pear seedlings (74, 75). 



5. The quality of most pears is improved by picking the 

 fruit before it begins to soften, and storing in darkness (77). 



6. To confine the fire blight to the younger branches of 

 the pear tree, it is wise to remove fruit spurs from the trunk 

 and older branches (81). The leaf blight ma}' be controlled 

 by spraying with Bordeaux mixture (82). 



