Chapter XI. 



PROPAGATION OF THE PEAR. 

 In propagating the Pear it is necessary to have very 

 rich land, especially here where our summers are hot, 

 and if not very rich, the site for the seedling bed should 

 be made so by wood ashes, and artificial fertilizers, con- 

 taining all the elements of plant-food, as potash, phos- 

 phoric acid, ammonia, etc. I would not use raw manure, 

 but only manure, if at all, that had been composted for 

 a long time. These green manures breed bacteria, and 

 I am satisfied would start unhealthy trees. Now the 

 most important thing coming next, is the seed, to have 

 them pure, in order to start healthy trees. Here, I 

 believe, is the great, first cause of diseased pear trees 

 now so common, the use of seed from all sorts of pears, 

 natural, dieased, budded, grafted, and any other kind 

 that may turn up, either here, in America, or in Europe. 

 Indeed the very same causes that produce diseased 

 Peach trees are producing diseased Pear trees. I think 

 most of our pear seedlings now used in this country are 

 imported from France, and are from one to three years 

 old when received. 



