PEARS. 



125 



to avoid injury to the young leaves and shoots. 

 Next in importance is it to see that, if the 

 spring and early summer prove hot and dry, 

 the young trees do not suffer from an insuffi- 

 cient supply of moisture at the roots. A light 

 mulching round the stems will aid in the pre- 

 servation of a moist condition, and it is also 

 advisable to occasionally syringe the trees in 

 the afternoon or early evening. This is espe- 

 cially beneficial for trees against dry walls, 

 fully exposed to the sun, as, until the roots 



are in full activity, the foliage soon suffers. 

 The summer pinching must be moderate at 

 first also for trees on the dwarfing stocks, as 

 it is often difficult to induce sufficient growth 

 to keep them well furnished with new wood. 

 Pears on the free stocks soon become established 

 and grow freely, and they require more atten- 

 tion in stopping or regulating the growth, 

 though there is no trouble in removing flowers 

 in their early years. 



When the dwarf trees are well rooted and 



Fig. 926.— Cloister Fruit Protector (side view). 



can safely be allowed to bear fruit, the 

 question of thinning should at once be con- 

 sidered. A young tree on the Quince will 

 often become very prolific, and if allowed to 

 bear without restriction it is liable to be greatly 

 exhausted, suffering both in growth and sub- 

 sequent crops. No hard and fast rule can be 

 laid down respecting how many fruits should 

 be allowed to remain, this must always be 

 a matter for the judgment of the cultivator, 

 and should be regulated by the character of 

 the variety and the strength of the tree. It 

 is also wise to defer the thinning until it can 

 be seen which fruits are taking the lead, as 

 many will commence swelling and then fall. 

 If the work is done immediately the petals 

 have fallen, there is the danger of removing 

 some that are either more fully fertilized, or, 

 from their position or strength, are more liber- 

 ally supplied with nourishment, and would 

 develop into finer fruits if allowed to remain. 

 As a rule little is gained by the thinning 



Fig. 927.— Cloister Fruit Protector (end view). 



of flowers even when these are produced in 

 the greatest profusion. There are so many 

 adverse influences that are calculated to pre- 

 vent an excessive number of fruits setting, that 

 it is best to make sure of the results before 

 removing any flowers. As regards trees on 

 walls, which may be protected when in flower 

 from the frost injuries, this does not apply vrith. 

 the same force, and thinning the flowers or 

 even the corymbs themselves may be advisable. 

 If it is found that the fruits do not fully de- 

 velop, or if a tree is flowering and fruiting 

 with a profusion beyond its strength, a more 

 vigorous thinning should be tried, together 

 with the application of additional supplies of 

 plant food to the soil. 



The Cloister Fruit Protector (figs. 926, 927) 

 is a device for protecting ripening fruit from 

 injuries by birds, w T asps, snails, Szc. It is made 

 of perforated celluloid, which is very light and 

 neat in appearance, and is adapted for Pears, 

 Apples, and other fruits. It is made in two 



