GARDENING FoR ALL. 115 
for the coming year, and a few pinched back to four or five 
leaves near the fruit and beyond it in order to draw the sap 
to the fruit. 
As the shoots that are left to grow, for extending the 
tree where requisite and for producing fruit next year, 
increase in length, they ought to be neatly fastened near the 
wall and at about six inches apart from shoot to shoot. I 
know that few people will leave them at this distance apart, 
but I hope they will keep as near to this distance as they can ; 
then those shoots will not be overcrowded, the leaves will have 
plenty of air and light, and the wood will be of the best quality 
under the circumstances and most capable of passing through 
the winter uninjured and of producing fruit the following year. 
As soon as the fruit is ripe and cleared from the tree, all 
the old wood that has borne the fruit should be cut out, and 
more space left for the young shoots that are to produce fruit 
the following year. Give the trees heavy syringings with 
water to clear the foliage of dirt and insect pests, and thus 
enable them to go on manufacturing embryo flowers and fruit 
for development the next year into the large, juicy, and 
luscious fruit that only a good peach can be. 
PEAR.—(Pyrus communis). 
The cultivation of choice dessert pears in this country is 
essentially one of some uncertainty; because the pear 
requires a warm season in which to attain its greatest 
excellence with us. Only our very best samples will compare 
favourably with those now imported from California, the 
Channel Islands, and France. 
A judicious selection of varieties and careful choice of 
sites and aspects—in conjunction with skilful culture—will do 
much towards the production of good crops of fine fruit ; 
whereas carelessness and indifference is sure to promote 
comparative failure. 
Mr. John Wright, in his excellent essay on profitable 
fruit-growing, says :—‘‘ Pears are more of a luxury than a 
necessity, but a most refreshing and wholesome luxury in 
large demand by a great and important section of the 
community.” I think few persons will deny that proposition. 
From Midsummer to Christmas there is always a large 
demand for good pears, and, too frequently, the prices are 
quite prohibitive. 
