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THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



and to this may be attributed some of the 

 variations in the behaviour and quality of well- 

 known Pears, where the peculiarities cannot be 

 otherwise accounted for. It is regretable that 

 a more exact and systematic method of secur- 

 ing free Pear stocks is not generally adopted, 

 so that the results could be equalized to some 

 extent. However, this is not of so much im- 

 portance with the free stocks as with the 



dwarfing stocks, because a much larger pro- 

 portion of the latter are now employed both 

 in our own nurseries and in other countries. 

 Several different forms of Quince have been, 

 and still are, used as stocks, such as the Com- 

 mon, the Portugal, the Angers, with others, 

 and very different opinions have been expressed 

 regarding their respective merits. The Portu- 

 gal and the Angers varieties are, however, the 



Fig. 901.— Pear, Pitmaston Duchess on Pear Stock 

 (10 feet high, 6 years old). 



Fig. 902.— Pear. Same variety and same age on Quince Stock. 

 (These figures illustrate nearly equal growth on the two stocks.) 



principal favourites; the first being of free and 

 vigorous growth, but it is not very fertile and 

 is rather difficult to raise in quantity. The 

 Angers variety, on the contrary, is not so 

 strong, but it is compact in habit, very pro- 

 lific, and comparatively easy to increase, points 

 which have recommended it to nurserymen in 

 Britain, America, and on the Continent. The 

 chief objection against it is that the growth 

 does not always keep pace with that of the scions 

 of the stronger Pears, with the result that the 

 life of the tree is shortened and there is more 

 danger of damage resulting in stormy weather. 

 This partly depends, no doubt, upon the 



method by which the stocks are propagated 

 and grown previous to budding. Much more 

 strongly-rooted and freely-developed Quinces 

 are usually obtained from layers than from 

 cuttings, but the process does not admit of 

 such rapid increase, and in consequence large 

 numbers of Quince stocks are raised from cut- 

 tings for trade purposes. If these are carefully 

 selected and well furnished with roots they are as 

 good as the others ; but this has not always been 

 done, and in consequence a doubt has been cast 

 upon the durability of a very useful stock. It 

 has been said that the sparse-fruiting character 

 of the Portugal Quince affects the behaviour of 



