STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 59 



give both, growth and early fruit. The Duchess of Oldenburg and 

 the Tetofsky will invariably grow and be loaded with fruit at the 

 same time ; so that early bearing depends on the natural ten- 

 dency of the varieties to produce fruit early. I believe it utterly 

 impossible for a Nortliern Spy to be bi ought to produce fruit early. 



Mr. S311TH. Why is it that pear trees now bear so early, while 

 formerly they never bore until they became large ? Is it not this 

 same treatment of root pruning that has brought that about? 



Mr. McLaughlin. Is that the case ? 



Mr. Smith. I think it is. 



Mr. McLaughlin. My own impression is that a seedling pear 

 will require as long a time to fruit now as ever it would. 



Mr. Smith. I think treated as I would treat it, cut the tap root 

 and prune judiciously, and it would come to bearing early. 



Mr. McLaughlin. I believe it is a principle acknowledged by 

 all, that continued manipulation of varieties, budding and grafting 

 over and over again, will induce early growing and early bearing. 

 I suppose, as an illustration, that the Vicar of Winkfield will 

 come into bearing now earlier than it would years ago, because it 

 has been worked on early bearing stocks year after year in succes- 

 sion ; and the same rule may apply to apples as well. 



In regard to distance, I think very much depends on the amount 

 of land one has to plant, and it should also be determined by the 

 location of the ground to be planted. If in a very exposed loca- 

 tion, I should plant nearer than if in a sheltered position. I would 

 also recommend protection of the trees as much as possible from 

 the hot sun of February and March ; and if the trunks of pear 

 trees were exposed to the Bun to the height of four feet, instead of 

 two or three, I should think the danger of their being spoiled by 

 what we term sun -scald would be much increased ; and if I should 

 see a tree that leaned towards the south with a sun-scald — which 

 I never did see yet — I should abandon my theory. I believe we 

 may protect the stem to the height of three or four feet by plac- 

 ing something to the south of it. I cannot believe that early 

 bearing in a tree is entirely at the expense of the growth. I be- 

 lieve that it is possible to have early bearing and good growth at 

 the same time in some varieties. 



Mr. A. L. Simpson of Bangor. I saw in the orchard of Mr. 

 Peirce of Belfast, last fall, quite a number of Bartlett pear trees 

 that were planted so near together that the branches interlaced. 

 The trees were laden with rich, yellow fruit. They were in a 



