2 THE MINIATURE FEUIT GAEDEN 



a certainty of 'having a crop of fruit the first season 

 after planting — always recollecting that a spring frost 

 may destroy the blossoms unless the trees are pro- 

 tected. It must always be recollected that pears on 

 quince stocks are strictly garden trees, and not adapted 

 for orchards. 



The most eligible season for planting pyramidal 

 pear trees is during the months of November and 

 December, but they may be planted even until the 

 end of March ; in planting so late, no fruit must be 

 expected the first season. Still I ought to say here 

 that I have frequently removed pear trees on the 

 quince stock in March and April, just as the blossom- 

 buds were bursting, and have had fine fruit the same 

 season, particularly if sharp frosts occurred in May. 

 The buds being retarded, the blossoms opened after 

 the usual period, and thus escaped. The experiment 

 is quite worth trying in seasons when the buds swell 

 very early. 



About ten or fifteen fruit may be permitted to 

 ripen the first season ; the following season one to 

 two dozen will be as many as the tree ought to be 

 allowed to bring to perfection ; increasing the number 

 as the tree increases in vigour, always remembering 

 that a few full-sized and well-ripened pears are to be 

 preferred to a greater number inferior in size and 

 quality. 



The engraving (fig. 1 on the following page) is 

 a faithful portrait of a pyramidal tree of the Beurr6 



