194 POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



Thorns, (Crataegus), Mountain Ash and even Shad Bush 

 (Amelanchier canadensis) have been used as pear stocks with 

 fair results. The Mountain Ash is occasionally used for this 

 purpose in Sweden, where ordinary pear stocks are tender. 



The Kieffer pear is sometimes grown from cuttings in the 

 South and used as a stock for other pears. 



Propagation. — The pear Is grown in practically the same 

 ways as the apple, that is, (a) by crown-grafting in the 

 field, (b) by root-grafting in the house in winter on whole 

 roots — in this case the growth is generally quite slow the first 

 year, (c) by budding in summer. 



Soil and cultivation. — The pear needs a rich, retentive soil 

 but thrives on a variety of soils and especially likes a rather 

 hard sub-soil clay. It is short lived on soils of a loose, open 

 texture. Fire blight is especially troublesome on soils where 

 the trees make a very rapid growth and it is the practice of 

 some growers to keep the land in sod to prevent too rapid 

 growth of wood. Yet the pear orchard must not be allowed to 

 become so firmly bound in sod that the trees are prevented from 

 making a reasonable growth. Nitrogenous manures and the use 

 of nitrogenous cover crops should generally be avoided in the 

 pear orchard and most attention given to the use of potash and 

 phosphoric acid. 



Trees and planting. — Young, thrifty trees, about two years 

 from the bud or three years from the root graft, are best for 

 planting. Standard pears are generally planted 16x16 or 20x20 

 feet apart, according to the form and size of the varieties. Pears 

 generally bear paying crops younger than apples. This quality, 

 however, varies with the different kinds. 



Pruning. — Pears need more pruning than apples when young. 

 During the first few years after planting, the few central shoots 

 that often seem to occupy all the attention of the tree when 

 young should be pinched or shortened except the strongest cen- 

 tral shoot, which should be preserved through the life of the 

 tree. Proper attention to this when the trees are young will 

 develop a head that will need but little training after the trees 

 commence to bear. 



Fruit. — Pears vary greatly in size, quality, color and form, and 

 also in season of ripening, from early summer to late winter. 



