268 AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 



overbear every year, are often objectionable on account 

 of the diminished size and inferior character of their 

 fruits, which result from this cause, particularly when the 

 trees have become old. The great desideratum, especi- 

 ally with those who object to the trouble of thinning 

 the fruit, is to find a variety that will produce an even or 

 well distributed, continuous, and moderate yield an an- 

 nual bearer, that does not exhaust itself by the production 

 of one enormous crop so as to require it to rest and recuper- 

 te. Such varieties are to be found in our collections, and 

 should be highly prized. 



But to return to our topic, the bold method of reduc- 

 ing the crop by winter pruning, has already been alluded 

 to, and is highly recommended for such old trees as have 

 ceased producing thrifty shoots of wood-growth at their 

 tips, and have taken on an excessive tendency to fruitage. 

 There are other methods of producing this desired effect, 

 diminishing the amount of fruit when excessive, and 

 thereby greatly enlarging the size, and improving the 

 flavor of that which is left behind: some of these will, 

 now be mentioned. 



DISBUDDING. One of these consists in the removal of 

 alternate buds, or even a greater proportion than one half; 

 this may be performed either in the end of winter or in 

 early spring, or even after the buds have pushed, still later 

 in the season. This work may be done with the fingers, 

 a knife, or by using the shears, when the buds are termi- 

 nal, as in old bearing apples and pears, or on some cherries. 

 This plan has been practiced with very good success upon 

 the Duchesse pear, by T. W. Field, who accidentally had 

 his attention directed to the feasibility of making this 



