THE PEAR 



125 



the best way I have found for gathering 

 and storing fruit is to have shallow baskets, 

 2| feet long by ij feet wide, and 6 inches 

 deep. These, when full, are placed on a 

 long barrow, with ends only and no sides, 

 having springs under the wheels to prevent 

 jolting. 



Where there is a good collection of pears 

 grown it is well, if possible, to have a special 

 fruit-room for storing them in, for the reason 

 that the flavour deteriorates if the fruits are 

 harvested in a room where the temperature is 

 low. The apple, for instance, will withstand 

 a much lower temperature without injury than 

 will the pear. It goes without saying that 

 before the season of fruit gathering begins 

 the fruit-room should be well cleaned, and if 

 necessary whitewashed. In harvesting pears 

 it is a good plan to lay the earliest to ripen on 

 the shelves most convenient to hand, so that 



Two Year Fan-Trained Tree 



(f) Leader shortened to 6 inches ; {r) side shoots shortened 

 to 6 inches ; (s) growths from side branches not short- 

 ened. It is not necessary to shorten any of these shoots. 

 Two growths are secured from the upright branch in the 

 following summer, and two from each of the upper 

 side branches, while a shoot is taken forward from each 

 of the four lowest branches. Thus ten branches will 

 be secured and will quickly cover an espalier or wall, 

 5 feet in height. If the tree two years trained is re- 

 quired for a higher espalier or wall than 5 feet, three 

 shoots must be secured from the upright (instead of 

 two as for a 5 feet high espalier), thus securing eleven 

 branches, and from these any number of others may be 

 originated to cover the space. 



One Year Fan-Trained Trek 



(0) Leader shortened to 6 inches ; (/) side 

 shoots shortened to 6 inches ; the 

 growths are secured in the preceding 

 summer to an improvised trellis of 

 stakes and rods as shown. 



they can be easily and quickly 

 looked over, and the bruised and 

 decayed ones taken away. Late 

 pears may be placed on less acces- 

 sible shelves, as they will require 

 little or no attention in this re- 

 spect until the early ones have 

 been disposed of. 



Single or Double Cordons 

 ON Walls. — This is an interest- 

 ing and successful method of 

 cultivating many varieties of pears. 

 It is interesting from the fact that 

 a large number of varieties may 

 be grown on a limited wall space, 

 thereby giving the amateur and 

 the small grower an opportunity 

 of growing a number of distinct 

 fruits. This is an important 

 matter, in that it enables the 

 cultivator to enjoy the advantage 

 of ripe pears in season, say from 

 August to Easter. Larger and 

 more handsome fruit can be 

 grown by this method than in 

 any other way, although it must 

 be said that quantity is somewhat 



