71 



scions should be inserted, but if both grow, one should be 

 removed when they get close together, as the wound on the 

 stock will then be healed and only one is needed. Prune back 

 the growth on the scion the following Spring so that it may 

 grow stocky, and throw out shoots close to the stock, to form a 

 new head for the tree. Grafted trees should be watched closely 

 during the growing season, as they throw out immense quanti- 

 ties of suckers, which if left to grow will almost starve the young 

 grafts. These should be checked as fast as they appear, though 

 it is necessary to leave part of th.e branches on the stock to 

 balance growth. They may be removed altogether the second 

 or third season, or according to the size and growth of the 

 tree. A little experience will teach how to regulate this. 



REMARKS ON SOILS, PLANTING THE TREES, ETC. 



The most desirable soil for pear trees is deep loamy soil, not 

 alone in producing thrift and fruitfulness, but the fruit grown 

 on such soil is par excellence in flavor and nutrition. There 

 are other soils, such as sandy and clayey soils, that by judic- 

 ious treatment might be made available for pear culture. Mix- 

 ing ashes, clay, or muck, with sandy soil will be a great 

 improvement, as these agents retain moisture and the soluble 

 parts of manure, that will enable plants to stand the drouth 

 better. 



Clayey soil of itself makes very poor soil for all kinds of 

 fruit trees, as in dry season it bakes hard and cracks, render- 

 ing it too impervious to that best of all plant food, the cool 

 dews of night, in the Spring and Fall, and after heavy rains 

 stickv mud not fit for trees to stand in. 



The most proper way to improve such soil is first to tile- 

 drain it, then to incorporate with it sand, muck, coal or wood 

 ashes liberally. All kinds of soil for fruit trees should be dry, 

 either naturally or made so by the system of drainage. 



In preparing soil for planting trees, plow eighteen inches 

 deep or thereabouts, bringing the sub-soil on top. This can be 

 accomplished by going twice in the same furrow, first with a 

 common plow then with a sub-soil. Small gardens, where the 



