PEACH AND THE PEAR. 263 



and hearty, with good color, for such trees no fertilizing 

 is needed for the coming crop of fruit. 



Rule II. 



Should the general average be reduced by, say three 

 inches, and the fruit buds reduced one half inch — with 

 lack of healthy color and plumpness — then the tree 

 needs phosphoric acid and potash for the coming crop of 

 fruit. 



Rule III. 



Should the general average of Rule i be reduced 

 by from four to six inches, and the fruit buds be stumpy 

 and shrunken in appearance, then the tree needs phos- 

 phoric acid, potash and ammonia, and probably some 

 iron, in order to mature well the coming crop of fruit. 



For fertilizing Dwarf Pears, the same rules may be 

 applied, reducing the general average of new wood, say, 

 three inches in Rule I, two inches in Rule II, and one 

 inch in Rule III, and allowing the fruit spurs to remain 

 without alteration. 



The Standard pear needs fertilizing on good ground, 

 certainly, not every year as a rule, and I should say a 

 good dressing of potash, phosphoric acid, ammonia and 

 some iron, perhaps, applied every three to five years 

 should be sufficient ; still, in all this you must be guided 



