156 WHYTOCK—THE CULTIVATION OF 
THE PEAR AND THE PLUM. 
Glass cases or glass coverings of some kind should be much 
more adopted than they are for growing the finer kinds of plums 
and pears in our cold northern districts. 
I have had heavy crops of pears every year from pear-trees in 
pots grown in the following way :—About the end of February I 
placed fifty pot-pears in a late vinery, keeping a lot of ventilation 
on both top and front night and day. This constant air pre- 
vented the vines from starting, and at the same time the pear- 
trees opened flower, and the abundance of air helped them to set. 
They set abundantly, and I then took them out of the vinery, 
plunged them in a sunny place, and with feeding they grew fine 
crops. The trees were out of the vinery in good time to let it be 
started, and the trees were under glass during only the short time 
required to set the fruit ; in other words, to protect the blossom 
from frost. 
The best varieties of gage-plums are worthy of a glass house 
or case in our northern climate. I have had very heavy crops of 
gage-plums by the following method :—Plant against a south 
wall. On top of the wall put a glass coping projecting 
twenty-one inches. Along the whole length of the outer edge 
of the coping fix an iron rod, on the rod a good quantity 
of rings, and to the rings attach a canvas curtain which 
reaches to the ground. The glass coping was a permanent — 
fixture, the curtain was fixed up when the trees opened flower. 
The curtain was not allowed to cover the trees through the day, 
only at night to protect from frost; through the day it was 
tightly drawn together. Young plum-trees grow very much to 
wood, throwing up strong watery shoots. To counteract this I 
examined the roots, and often lifted the trees every autumn, 
cutting away strong roots, keeping the roots near the surface, and 
putting amongst the roots each time fresh fibrous loam. Doing 
this for a few years in succession made the trees very fibrous 
rooted and the wood of medium thickness clad all over with 
flower-spurs. Plum-trees in this state, and with good protection 
from frost, cannot fail to yield good crops even under unfavour- 
able circumstances, and in this the skill of the gardener shows 
itself, 
