PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 227 



soonest. The difficulties I labor under are that my pear trees grow wood 

 rapidly and do not produce fruit; what sliall I do witli them? Trees that 

 are of moderate size and grow but little wood are most productive. Some 

 persons say, prune in Autumn to make trees fruitful. Shall I cut oft" all 

 the new wood? 



Dr. AVard. — Growth may be undoubtedly repressed more by pruning in 

 Autumn than at any other time. I inquired of the late Mr. Reid how I 

 should obviate this very difficulty. He said: Wait patiently until nature 

 effects the remedy by giving the tree its proper time for growth. If 3'ou 

 cut away the limbs, others will grow in their place. You must trim to 

 bring tlie tree into shape; it is difficult to force its fruitfuluess by the 

 pruning-knife. 



Mr. P. T. Quinn, of New Jersc}'. — From the observations made to-day, 

 Ihe pruning seems to be applied to old trees, but as a number of us are 

 setting out trees, the remarks I shall make will apply to young trees. It 

 is by the knife alone that dwarf pears are brought into proper shape. One 

 3'ear from the bud there is a single shoot. It must be cut back so as to 

 leave a stem of from one to two feet. Then several shoots start. At the 

 end of the second year they are generally sold at the nursery. The bud in 

 the quince stock is then about six inches above the surface. If planted the 

 same depth, the heavy top is apt to break off at the junction. If set a few 

 inches below the junction, the pear strikes root. After the tree is planted 

 leave one center shoot, and prune and train the others so as to make a 

 pyramidal form. Keep the fruit spurs as near the base as possible. I 

 prefer to prune in March and April. It is very important in pickino- the 

 fruit that j-uu are careful not to injure the fruit buds. I often tie the Ion"- 

 slender limbs of pear trees iuto a circle to check their growth and make 

 them fruitful. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter. — When the trees are young, they grow rapidly 

 without making fruit buds. There are several ways to induce trees to 

 bear, binding the limbs, &c. When a tree comes into bearing you will find 

 it does not make such rapid growth, but produces fruit buds. Pruniuo- of 

 fruit trees is a beautiful study. 



Weeds for Bedding. 



A person who lives in the suburbs of the city recommends the use of 

 weeds for stable bedding, " because straw at six to eight cents a small 

 bundle is an expensive luxury. Last season I made a loose scaff'olding in 

 my barn, and began in early summer to spread over it weeds from the gar- 

 den, along the road sides and from vacant lots, even incorporating a lot of 

 thistles. These I placed upon the scaffold every few da^'s, and if not dry 

 when put on they became sufficiently so before more was added. I am now 

 iising it daily to bed a cow and horse, and the supply will last some time 

 longer, but I shall lay in a larger stock another year, and add some forest 

 leaves. Besides the weeds were a few potato, tomato and bean vines, all 

 of which answer a gocd purpose, and my manure heap is larger and more 

 valuable from these additions." 



