THE PEAR 



129 



They may be grown as cordons upon 

 the Quince stock, planted against 

 walls at 2 feet apart. When properly 

 pruned and root-pruned pears are very 

 fertile in any form. The early 

 varieties thrive well on walls facing 

 east, the mid-season sorts on a west 

 wall ; the late varieties should be 

 planted against walls with a western or 

 southern aspect, as they require con- 

 siderable warmth to perfect their 

 fruits. They should be fed with water 

 and stimulants well into October. 



All the early pears, such as ripen 

 before October, should be gathered 

 a few days before they are really 

 ripe, otherwise such varieties as Jar- 

 gonelle and Williams' Bon Chretien 

 become mealy and soon decay. All 

 the fruits should not be gathered 

 at once. The shaded fruits will hang 

 some days after the exposed ones are 

 gathered. Such a delicate fruit as the 

 pear must be carefully picked, with- 

 out bruising, and be stored at once. 



Enquiry is often made as to when 

 pears should be picked. Only general 

 rules can be given. Should the fruits 

 fall from the trees without any ap- 

 parent cause a few should be cut 

 open, and if the pips (seeds) are black 

 the fruits may be considered ready 

 to store. The fruits of some late 

 varieties should remain on the trees 

 until November, and when the stalk 

 end grows over the spur it may be 

 taken as an indication that the pear 

 is ready to gather. Again, if when 

 gently lifted up it parts readily from 

 the spur the fruit may be picked. 

 Amateurs should not be alarmed if a 

 few fall, as they are frequently diseased 

 and do not indicate that all the fruits 

 are ripe. Finely developed fruits 

 •should be the cultivator's aim. They 

 ■should be thinned as soon as well 



A Bush Pear Tree (5 Years Old) 



{w) Point of shortening the first growth from the bud or graft ; 

 (jt) point of second pruning of leading growth ; (y) point 

 of third pruning ; (2) side branches originated the first 

 year ; (a) branches formed in second season; (^) branches 

 originated in third year of pruning ; (c) leading growths 

 of branches ; (c^ subsidiary growths allowed to remain for 

 furnishing the tree with branches about i foot distant 

 from each other. The numerals refer to the ages of the 

 shoots. The tree is formed by cutting back maiden trees 

 to 15 to 18 inches from the ground, so that the lowest 

 branches are well clear of the soil. Of the growths push- 

 ing,_five or six of the most promising and well situated are 

 retained, and the others rubbed off, thus leaving four or 

 five side shoots and a leader. Side growths or laterals on 

 any of these are pinched at the first leaf as produced, cut- 

 ting below the first stopping at the winter pruning ; as 

 some basal buds will be left, spurs will form the following 

 summer. At the winter pruning the leader is shortened 

 to 15 inches, and the side shoots, if over a foot in length, 

 topped, otherwise left intact. The next spring four to six 

 shoots push from the stem and are encouraged, but not a 

 leading central growth (the absence or presence of this 

 marks the difference between a bush and a pyramid 

 tree); lateral shoots are pinched to three leaves, not 

 counting the small basal one or two, and they are short- 

 ened to one or two buds at the winter pruning following. 

 Short stubby shoots are not pinched or winter pruned, as 

 on these the fruit is produced. In winter the uppermost 

 shoots are shortened to about 15 inches to cause them to 

 fork, and the leading growths of the side branches are 

 treated as in the preceding season ; subsequent pruning is 

 simply a repetition. 



I 



