THE PEAR. 103 



apart. As a rule, the fruit from young trees is not as fine 

 in quality as that from the same trees at a more advanced age, 

 and that produced by trees growiag in clayey soils with a dry 

 bottom, not fertilized with highly stimulating manures, is of bet- 

 ter quality than that borne by trees in a light sandy soil, or in a 

 damp soU, or in a rich alluvial soil, or that are supplied too 

 liberally with partially decomposed barn-yard manure. 



Dwarf Pear trees are very apt to bear too much fruit, and it 

 will therefore be necessary to examine them just after the fruit 

 is set, and thin out the pears. No more fruit should be allowed 

 to remain than the tree can bring to perfection of size and quality. 

 The fruit on an over-loaded tree is sure to be small in size and 

 poor in quality, while the tree is often so severely over-tasked in 

 the effort to grow and ripen its unequal burden, that it becomes 

 stunted, sickly, and frequently perishes. Just how much fruit 

 to leave and how much to take can only be learned by actual 

 practice. The size, vigor and habits of the tree, must be all duly 

 considered, and the condition of the soU in which it is growing ; 

 the tendency in all cases is to leave too much fruit, and it is 

 always advisable to go over the trees a second and a third time, 

 removing those which give least promise of coming to a fuU and 

 well-developed maturity. 



The fruit of almost all varieties of Pear is of much finer flavor 

 if gathered a few days before it is fuHy ripe, and allowed to 

 mature in the house. The best time for taking the fruit from 

 the trees is usually indicated by a slight change in the color of 

 the pears, and by the stalk parting readily from the tree when 

 the fruit is gently lifted. These remarks apply to the summer 

 and early autumn varieties. After the fruit has been gathered, 

 it should be placed in a box or keg and stored in a cool room, 

 but not in the cellar, to ripen. If there be but a few specimens 

 of any kind, these will ripen best if put into a paper bag, or 

 wrapped securely in paper and placed together in a box. If 

 spread out on shelves, or placed in drawers capable of holding a 

 much larger quantity, they loge much of their flavor, and 



