THE PEAR 119 



be found that the young tree on the Pear stock has made some strong 

 growths, and also some strong roots, which, on examination, will be seen 

 to be making their way towards the subsoil. There is nothing for it then 

 but to lift the roots with all possible care, prune them, and carefully replant 

 the tree, adding a little fresh soil to the roots as the work proceeds. If this 

 is carefully carried out scarcely any check to the growth of the tree the 

 following season will be apparent. After root-pruning the tree will not require 

 further attention in this respect for many years, but should strong growths 

 again arise, in the course of two or three years, do not lift the tree, but 

 endeavour to find the coarse roots by clearing a passage with a fork here and 

 there under the tree where the offending roots are most likely to be found, and 

 this, as a rule, is directly beneath the strong growths. 



Trees on the Quince Stock. — In this case the treatment differs con- 

 siderably, as the tree will tend to form a mass of small fibrous roots near the 

 surface ; the grower must encourage the formation of these, and the best way 

 of doing this is to top-dress the border regularly every year, adding after the 

 operation a mulching of about 3 inches of decayed manure, and placing a ridge 

 of soil about 3 inches high round the tree at a distance of about 2^ feet from 

 the stem, so as to form a basin for retaining water. As the roots are not far 

 from the stem it will be seen how necessary it is thus to nourish the tree, 

 not only by top dressings, but also by frequent applications of water in hot 

 weather. 



Top-Dressing. — Autumn is the best season for top-dressing. The old 

 material should be removed before the new is added, and every two or three 

 years it will be necessary to dig out a trench, i^ feet deep and the same in 

 width, all round the tree as near the points of the roots as it is safe to go without 

 injuring them, and fill it with fresh soil. By this means a large number of new 

 fibrous roots will constantly be added to the tree, greatly helping it to produce 

 and mature heavy crops of fruit. In the south of England, and in most of our 

 fairly warm counties, no doubt the best aspect for the pear is west ; it will also 

 succeed on a south or south-west, but does not grow so well on an eastern 

 aspect. In cold northern counties the only chance of growing late pears 

 successfully is to plant them on south walls. 



Training. — If it is decided to cover the wall with horizontal-trained trees, 

 a tree three years old had better be purchased from a trustworthy nurseryman, 

 who will guarantee that the variety is true to name. It should have a main 

 stem 3 feet long, and side branches from this in a horizontal direction, from 

 ID inches to a foot apart, the lower ones being a foot from the ground. When 

 the young trees are established the main stem should grow 18 inches to 2 

 feet every year. This at the pruning season must be cut to within a foot 

 of the last pair of branches ; the three top buds should produce three shoots, 

 one on the left hand and one on the right, one being trained upright to 

 continue the main stem. These must be taken great care of by being tied 

 to the wire or nailed to the wall as growth extends. The same process of 

 pruning the main stem to provide side branches must be carried out every year 

 until the top of the wall is reached, and side branches I foot apart have been 



