THE FKUIT-GARDEN. 55 



conical taper toward the crown ; skin smooth, pale yellow, or pale yel- 

 lowish^green, with a dull reddish cheek ; stalk an inch to an inch and 

 a half long, slender, often fleshy at insertion, oblique, not sunk; basin 

 narrow, very shallow; flesh greenish or yellowish-white, juicy, buttery, 

 with a good, second-rate flavor — sometimes slightly astringent, but if 

 ripened in a warm temperature, it proves a good table pear. Ripens 

 late autumn and early winter, for about three months. Growth spread- 

 ing and irregular, or straggling ; shoots strong, dark olive. Fine 

 on quince stocks. The great and uniform productiveness of this pear, 

 its fine qualities for cooking, and the long period of its continuance, 

 render it eminently valuable. 



It was formerly cultivated at Boston under the erroneous name of 

 Bourgermester. The true Bourgermester is a third-rate pear, the wood 

 of which cankers badly. 



Select List of Pears for Southera CuItiTation. — Madeleine, Bloodgood, 

 Dearborn's seedling, St. Ghistlain, Stevens' Genesee, golden beurre of 

 Bilboa, Napoleon, Bartlett, Seckel, white Doyenne, Dutchess d'An- 

 gouleme, belle Lucratim, beurr6 Bosc, beurre Diel, Glout Morceau, winter 

 Nelis, beurre d'Aremberg. 



Dwarf Pear. — These are chiefly valuable where but little space can be 

 had, as five dwarfs can be grown on the area occupied by one standard, 

 and another advantage is, that they come earlier into bearing. They 

 may be planted from six to ten feet apart, and the stocks should be en- 

 tirely beneath the surface, to avoid the borer, which will attack the 

 quince, but not the pear. They need, and will reward, rich cultivation 

 and careful pruning. They should be pruned in the pyramidal form, for 

 which the following are good directions : 



" The process consists in shortening the first year's shoot of the ap- 

 ple or pear tree, called the graft-shoot, to one foot at a full bud. The 

 first year, on pushing out in spring, rub off all laterals, except four or five 

 at the bottom of the stem, to garnish it with a first tier of branches for 

 future years. Train the leader to a stick quite perpendicular. The 

 next winter proceed as before, by shortening the lejider twelve inches at 

 a full bud. Remove all intermediate buds as before, down the leader, 

 and leave those at the bottom to form a second tier of laterals ; and 

 shorten the lower tier to an outside bud. After the second year's 

 shoot, the summer pruning consists in rubbing off the laterals forming 

 now the lower tier, above and below the branch, so as to keep them as 

 horizontal as possible. Strengthen those that grow horizontal by pinch- 

 ing off the ends, if necessary. Each tier should be, as near as may be, 

 twelve or thirteen inches one above the other ; and, if possible, the 

 branches of each succeeding tier should be so grown as to be above the 

 intervals of the tier below. This makes a beautiful symmetrical tree, 

 ornamental even in a flower-garden."* 



Varieties. — The following are good varieties : summer Dean, Doyenn6 

 d'Et6, English jargonelle, Madelaine, long green of autumn, beurr6 Diel, 

 glout morceau, white Dean or white Doyenne, gray Dean or gris Doy- 

 enne, striped long green of autumn, weary soldier or soldat laboureur. 



* Gardener's Chronicle. 



