46 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAEDENnSTG. 



is a Pear stock of as clearly defined and reliable 

 ^lualities as the French, and English Paradise stock for 

 Apples : a stock to control growth and compel fertility. 

 Neither does the use of the Quince relieve pomolo- 

 gists from the duty and necessity of finding a Pear 

 stock possessing parallel merits to the Paradise stock 

 ior Apples. Xlseful as the Quince has been, it is 

 but an interloper at best, and in some senses a back- 

 ward step. Its influence is capricious rather than 

 <!0n8tant, ruining the quality of some Pears, weaken- 

 ing the health of others, greatly curtailing the lives 

 of all. "We purchase fertility too dearly through the 

 •Quince. Possibly the desideratum of a Pear stock 

 that might be relied upon to heighten the fertility 

 of Pears, without lowering the quality of the fruit or 

 shortening the lite of the tree, may be found among 

 such varieties as Louis Bonne of Jersey, Beurre de 

 •Qapiomont, the Old Swan's-egg, or similar moderate- 

 growing fertile varieties. 



The mere sowing of Pear-seeds for stock, and 

 1}heir treatment tiU of sufB.cient size , and strength 

 ior working, does not differ materially from those of 

 Apples, and will be found set forth on page 166, 

 Vol. II. 



The Kaising of Seedling Quinces. — As the 

 Quince seldom ripens seeds in England, and the 

 raising of these does not greatly differ from that of 

 Pears, little more need be said upon it here. Seeds 

 and seedlings are prettly largely imported. These 

 are mostly kept very dwarf, as the theory and prac- 

 tice of most growers are to have as little Quince in 

 their Pear-trees as possible. Hence, though seedHag 

 Quinces grow rather more slowly than Pears, they 

 very often become fit to work sooner. There always 

 seems some little doubt as to the Pear's ability to stand 

 alone on the "Quince. Hence it is mostly worked so 

 low down as to allow of the Pear rooting over the 

 Quince into the ground on its own account — a 

 process that either fails to take place, or succeeds in 

 removing the restraining influences of the Quince 

 over the Pear. On the other hand, however, the 

 Quince brings both more numerous and more fibrous 

 surface-rooting roots to the help of the Pear, induces 

 a more dwarf habit, renders the tree easily portable, 

 imparts, as a rule, more colour, and more seldom a 

 higher flavour to the fruit. 



The Pear will also grow on the common Thorn, 

 the Mountain Ash, and the Medlar, but with less 

 freedom and permanency than on the Quince. So 

 there cannot be a doubt that the seedling Pear is the 

 best stock for the Pear. These seedlings are now 

 of several degrees of excellency — the wild Pear, the 

 perry Pear, the common orchard, and best garden 

 Pear — and no doubt among the latter a still better 

 stock of more uniform excellency will yet be found. 



Grafting.— The grafting of Pears does not 

 differ in principle and practice from that briefly de- 

 scribed for Apples, page 167, Vol. II., and also in o«r 

 articles on Propagation. Whip grafting is the best 

 for young trees and for dwarfs. It is a good plan, 

 after claying the grafts round on the latter, to earth 

 them up an inch or two beyond the point of union 

 and over the protecting clay. Pears in general, how- 

 ever, and those on the Quince in particulai-, should be 

 grafted rather earlier than Apples. The Pear grows 

 earlier than the Apple, and the Quince earlier than 

 the Pear — Whence the advice now given. 



In dealing with two such different plants as 

 the Quince and the Pear, it is indispensable that 

 their growing condition should be brought more 

 nearly abreast by art than they would be likely 

 to be through nature. In a word, left to them- 

 selves, the Quince would be too far ahead of the 

 Pear in March, say, to insure success. The best way 

 of retarding the Quince and scions of the Pear alike 

 imtil grafting-time, is to take off the scions and lay 

 them in the ground in December, and behead the 

 Quince in January, and within a few inches of the 

 spot for grafting. "With scion and stock in suitable 

 condition, a good fit, expert workmanship, speedy ex- 

 clusion of the air, and firm binding together, a 

 union is almost certain, whichever one of the many 

 methods of grafting is adopted. 



Another element of success, however, consists in 

 a vigorous condition of growth in the stocks. Hence 

 the importance of lining them out two or more 

 years before working. Close to the ground, as 

 already stated, is the best place for working the 

 Pear on the Quince. The height is of less moment 

 on Pear stocks. Low working is, however, the best 

 for dwarf bush trees, cordons, and pyramids. For 

 standards of all heights it is often a considerable 

 saving of time and vital force to work the stocks at 

 heights varying from three feet to six or more, ac- 

 cording to the height the trees may be required for 

 parks or orchards. , 



The best sort of Pear scions are those of moderate 

 growth, chosen out of about the middle portion of 

 shoots, growing in a semi-horizontal rather than a 

 vertical direction. 



DouMe or Multiple Grafting (Pig. 32).— This 

 must be looked upon rather as a mode of culture than 

 a means of propagation. It is, however, both, and as 

 it may become more important, deserves notice here. 

 Its theory rests on a mechanical rather than a vital 

 basis, though, of course, it becomes a mixture of both. 

 One or more foreign discs of living wood are intro- 

 duced in the stem to foster, check, moderate, or 

 control the passage of the sap. Hitherto the practice 

 has been chiefly confined to Pears, but there is no 



