PEAR. 



331 



but at the extremities of the branches ; and when 

 these encroach on the trees on each side of them, 

 either one or other requires removal. In this case 

 the writer advises, rather than remove the pear 

 trees, to prune the branches back to near the stem. 

 From the bases of these, a new birth of young shoots 

 will be produced ; and which, if trained along to fill 

 up the vacancy made by the removal of the old 

 branches, will soon become fruitful, and, in fact, a 

 renovation of the tree. When such a proceeding 

 becomes necessary, it is best done gradually ; that 

 is, one-third of the branches may be cut back in one 

 year, as many more in the next, and the remainder 

 in the third year : this will be found better than cut- 

 ting the whole back at once. 



In the general management of pear trees, the 

 author is fully persuaded that moderate growth, and 

 consequent prolificacy, may be given, by paying at- 

 tention to grafting upon proper stocks, planting in 

 light and shallow soils, prevention of unnecessary 

 growth by disbudding in early spring, and the least 

 possible application of the knife ; and, by avoiding 

 deep, rich, over-moist borders, will together accom- 

 plish the wishes and expectations of the planter, and 

 render unnecessary all those fanciful and contorted, 

 or rather distorted, schemes of training, ringing, 

 disbarking. Sec, so much recommended by writers, 

 and relied on by some practitioners. A tree may 

 certainly, with proper treatment, be kept in mode- 

 rate health and fruitfulness, without doing violence 

 to either its natural habit or constitution. 



