Dwarf Pears. 137 



DWARF PEARS. — I. 



Some of our readers having asked for information concerning Dwarf 

 Pears, we propose to give a few short articles on the subject. 



First, What is a dwarf pear tree.'' The term has been apphed to any 

 tree, whether on pear or quince stock, trained low, and kept by pruning 

 to a small size, and it has also been improperly applied to trees worked 

 on quince stock, but trained with high stems before branching. By a 

 dwarf pear tree, we mean one grafted on the quince root, bi-anchcd low, 

 trained in pyramidal or bush form, and not allowed to attain a large 

 size. 



The great advantage of dwarf pear trees is the comparative earliness 

 with which they come into bearing. Life is short, and six, eight, ten, 

 or even fifteen years is a good while to wait for the fruiting of a stan- 

 dard pear tree. But the dwarf will give a generous return in three or 

 four years, and added to this is the ease with which, from its smaller 

 size, it may be managed, and a greater variety of fruit may be secured 

 in a small garden. Notwithstanding these advantages, however, there 

 has been much discussion as to the expediency of growing pears as 

 dwarfs ; but whenever we get to the bottom of the objections brought 

 against it, we find that they arise from some fault in the methods pur- 

 sued. No pear tree will thrive long if left to take care of itself, and 

 with dwarf trees the case is stronger than with standards. Whether 

 planted in the garden or the orchard, they must have garden culture, 

 and he who cannot give them this had better not plant them, either on 

 a large or a small scale. 



Another reason which has caused dwarf trees to be condemned has 

 been, that they were worked on stocks of unfit varieties. The Angers 

 quince is the only one that should ever be used as a stock for the pear. 

 It is of stronger growth than any other variety, with smooth bark, and 

 in a good soil makes shoots six feet long in a season. 



Another cause of prejudice against dwarfs has been, that they have 

 not been planted deep enough. The office of the quince is that of 

 a root and not of a stock, and it should be invariably wholly buried 

 in the gi'ound. It has been advised to plant with the quince three 

 inches below the surface, but we think one inch quite sufficient. It 

 will protect from the borer, which attacks the quince and not the pear, 

 just as well as three inches, and avoids burying the roots away from 

 the warmth and air. We would prefer trees budded as low as possible ; 



