I30 



THE FRUIT GARDEN 



A Pyramid Pear Tree (s Years Old) 



{e) Point of cutting back maiden tree ; (y) point of 

 second shortening ; (£■) point of tiiird cutting baclc ; 

 (/z) point of fourth shortening of leader; (z) pomt of 

 stopping leading shoot in summer ; (j) continuation 

 growth of leader made after pinching ; (k) side 

 growths made in consequence of stopping leader. 

 The numerals refer to the age of the wood. Practi- 

 cally such tree requires no winter pruning. The 

 pyramid is formed by shortening the maiden tree 

 to 15 inches from the ground, and five to seven 

 shoots originated ; one is taken upwards, secured 

 to a perpendicular stake, the remaining ones 

 selected are retained in the best positions, all others 

 being rubbed off. The following winter the leader 

 is shortened to 15 inches, or 18 inches if strong, 

 and at least four shoots will grow in spring, one 

 to be trained upwards as continuation of the stem, 

 the others regularly disposed around. The side 

 branches may have been shortened, in which case 

 a growth must be trained forward as leader from 

 the extremity of each, and the others pinched, 

 though the branches may be forked where desired 

 to originate subsidiary branches ; the pinched side 

 shoots are cut back in winter to within a bud or two 

 of their bases to form spurs. The side and sub- 

 sidiary branches should not be nearer each other 

 than p inches, and are better i foot apart ; the lower 

 side branches seldom require shortening, and the 

 others only to preserve the symmetrical form of 

 each specimen. At the third and fourth pruning 

 three side shoots and a leader will be secured, and 

 so on, until the tree is as large as desired. 



formed. A large portion of the pears will 

 fall naturally when quite small, and the 

 cultivator should wait three weeks after 

 this stage before he commences to thin. 

 Late frosts will often destroy numbers 

 also, so that it is not advisable to start 

 thinning too early ; leave the best- 

 looking fruits which are placed in such 

 positions as to derive the fullest benefit 

 from sun and air. All imperfect fruits, 

 those below the branches and (on wall 

 trees) those touching the walls, should be 

 removed. A very heavy crop will result 

 in small fruits of inferior flavour and 

 hard texture. Pears on walls, and 

 heavily cropped trees in other positions, 

 need mulching and watering in July 

 and August, and well repay this atten- 

 tion, especially if large fruits for exhibition 

 purposes are desired ; medium-sized fruits 

 are, however, better flavoured and more 

 generally useful. 



Best Stocks for Pears. — Pyra- 

 midal, bush, cordon, or other .forms of 

 restricted growth, are best upon the 

 Quince stock. Orchard trees and 

 espaliers should be upon the Free or 

 Pear stock. As the quince is a moisture- 

 loving tree, where the soil is gravelly, 

 sandy, or very light, the pear trees must 

 be on the Pear stock ; gross growth can 

 always be checked by root-pruning. In 

 planting pears grafted or budded on the 

 Quince stock the junction of the scion 

 should be placed 2 inches beneath the 

 soil. But, on the other hand, care should 

 be taken not to plant trees on the Free 

 stock too deeply. Some varieties of the 

 pear will not grow if worked direct on. 

 the Quince stock ; in such cases nursery- 

 men first graft or bud on the Quince 

 a variety that is vigorous, and then upon 

 this work the desired sort. This is 

 termed " double grafting," and such trees 

 produce a maximum of fruit with a; 

 minimum of growth. 



