32 



THE MINIATUBE FRUIT GARDEN. 



in the uprif^lit method. My trellis was planted eight 

 years a.'^o, and has now on it twenty fine trees, about 

 ten years old, and in full bearing. They were planted 

 three feet apart, as it was my first experiment, and 



.r/pss 



are now a little crowded ; four feet apart will be 

 found the proper distance. I have never seen any 

 thing more interesting in fruit culture than this trellis 

 covered with pears, for, owing to its being near the 

 ground, the radiation of heat and moisture gives the 

 fruit a size and beauty rarely seen even on walls. 



The lii^lits should remain over the tree-^ till the 

 beginning of July, and then be removed, suffering the 

 fruit to ripen fully exposed to the sun and air. It 

 seems that the glass over the fruit in its young state 

 serves to develop its growth in a remarkable manner, 

 for rarely is a sput seen on pears grown on these trel- 

 lises ; they have a clear, beautiful appcaranee, mnch 

 like those grown iu the warmer parts nt' Fi-ance. I 

 ought t(^ add, that in eool climates, sueli as the nortli 

 of England and Scotland, the lights may bo suffered 

 to remain over the trees till the beginning or middle 

 (if August. Tliis will hasten tlie ripening of the fruit, 

 but it should be ex]ioscil to tlic air iu early autumn 

 for some wi'cks bi'I'ore it is gathered ^unless the eli- 

 niate be particularly cold and storuiy"), or it m»y suffer 

 in llavor. i 'ears ripened under glass are apt to sutler 



