556 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



varieties, if allowed to ripen on the tree, become dry, insipid, 

 second or third rate. Thev will also ripen more gradually, 

 last longer, and are less liable to loss or injury if ripened 

 in the house. It is said, however, few varieties do best to 

 ripen on the tree. When gathered, some few kinds ripen 

 more perfectly by exposing them to the light and air. 

 Most of them, however, in kegs, or small boxes, or on the 

 shelves of a cool, dark fruit room, each one separately en- 

 veloped in absorbent paper or loose cotton. This is not 

 necessary with the summer varieties. Pears, like apples, 

 must be gathered by hand, with the same precaution, to 

 prevent bruises, or they will soon decay. Winter Pears 

 should hang as long as may be upon the tree. When it is 

 time to ri^^en, bring them for a week or two from tlie fruit- 

 room into a w^arm apartment, which will much improve 

 their flavor. 



Propagation and Culture. — Pears are propagated by 

 budding or grafting on seedling pear stocks or on certain 

 varieties of the quince. Suckers should never be em- 

 ployed for this purpose ; for they seldom have good roots 

 and the trees are short-lived ; a great deal of prejudice 

 exists against pear culture from this cause. Seedlings 

 raised from the thrifty growing, indijfferent fruits that are 

 often cultivated about the country, are much more healthy 

 than those raised from the improved varieties. 



Sow the seed thickly in Autumn, in drills eighteen 

 inches apart. Let the soil be deep, rich loam. Ashes arc 

 an excellent application to the seed-bed. The soil must 

 be moist as on vigorous and continued growth the first 

 season, much of the value of the stock depends. Take 

 them up in November or December, shorten the tap-root, 

 and reset them in rows four feet apart, putting those toge- 

 gether which are of about the same size. The best of 

 them, if in a good, deep, moist soil, will be fit to bud during 



