Editorial Miscellany. HJ 



the subsequent elaboration of the nourishing juices, none will be returned 

 to the quince root. The pear roots having the preference because they 

 oflfer no impediment to the circulation, as a result, in a few years, the 

 quince roots decay, and you have a standard — a very desirable article, by 

 the way, but secured by a rather circuitous process. Mr. Stevens speaks 

 paradoxically. What he means to say is, the pear stock is superior to 

 the quince. This is certainly the inference suggested by the article we 

 quote. On some future occasion we shall give our opinion on the quince 

 stock for pears, at considerable length, as we have had some practical 

 experience, which we shall relate candidly : 



Having been for a few weeks among the fruit growers of Massachusetts, 

 I notice that an error prevails among them in the treatment of their 

 dwarf pear trees, particularly in planting them, and to so great an extent 

 that many persons have almost abandoned their culture ; although they 

 are really the most valuable trees. 



In planting, it should be borne in mind that the Anger's quince will 

 not endure the winters of New England, and that it is the only variety 

 on which the pear succeeds ; in all quinces the borers work, and this 

 variety is even more subject to them than the fruit-bearing kinds, but if 

 the trees are planted deeper than the place of grafting, these difficulties 

 are all obviated, and another advantage attained which is all-important, 

 tliat is, the production of fibres, above the place of grafting, which will 

 spread plentifully through the ground and sustain the tree to a great 

 number of years, even if the quince roots were entirely removed, and will 

 give them a more vigorous growth and double or treble the amount of 

 their production. 



The proper depth of planting is about three inches deeper than the 

 place of grafting. A mound of earth thrown around the tree will not be 

 of any avail, as it loses its own moisture from the roots underneath, and a 

 mound will not often bring out the roots from the pear. Another matter 

 almost always overlooked is the cutting back of trees ; when first planted, 

 they should be cut back to three or four buds of the last year's growth, 

 and this continued for three years, by which a stocky tree of good form i« 

 obtained, which will often produce more fruit, and of better quality, than 

 standard trees. 



The ground for pears is never too rich ; and two bushels of coarse 

 stable manure put about the tree each spring, and left to decay through 

 ^he summer, and dug in, and repeated the next spring, will not, on many 

 of the best varieties, fail to bring forth an abundant crop of melting, 



