553 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



and large trees, it is, of course, impossible to lift them and 

 cut luck the offending roots ; the best plan to adopt with 

 them is to dig a trench all round at a distance of about 6ft. 

 from the stem, and to shorten back with a sharp knife all the 

 thick and fibreless roots that are found. In the case of 

 younger trees the roots are naturally much more approach- 

 able. Bv making a trench a few feet away from the stem 

 the soil can be worked away from the roots by means of a 

 fork, the gross roots traced, pruned, and if possible replaced. 



Thinning' the Fruit. — It is the practice of all good 

 cultivators to thin the crop of fruit produced, if this is 

 necessary. When conditions are favourable, a heavier crop 

 is often " set " than can be profitably brought to maturity, 

 and if thinning is not practised, the over-abundant fruit will 

 not only be inferior in quality, but the health and productive- 

 ness of the tree will probably be seriously weakened for the 

 next season or two. As soon as the fruit is well set 

 thinning should be commenced. 



Sometimes it may be necessary to remove a whole bunch 

 (especially on wall trees, where a better " set" is usually 

 procured), but usually it is sufficient to thin out the fruits 

 to two or three on each bunch in the case of the larger- 

 varieties, allowing rather more to develop upon trees bearing 

 smaller fruits. Of course, on many trees, especially in 

 unfavourable seasons, thinning is totally unnecessary ; pro- 

 bably not more than one or two fruits will swell from each 

 corymb of flowers. Unless the necessary thinning is per- 

 formed, the energies of the tree are almost entirely used up 

 in nourishing its burden of fruit, so that the requisite 

 amount of elaborated sap is not stored up in the buds for 

 the production of leaves and flowers the following year. 



Gathering and Storing. -The time when Pears are 

 in a fit condition to be gathered may be ascertained by 



PEAR, WILLIAMS' BON CHRETIEN 



lifting up the fruit ; if ready to be picked, the stalk of the 

 Pear will part quite easily from the spur. This, however, 

 is not the case with all varieties. Some, if left until they 

 are in this state, become soft and mealy, and ought to be 

 picked some time before if their full flavour is to be 

 developed. Such are Williams' Bon Chretien, Easter 

 Beurre, Doyenne Boussoch, and Flemish Beauty. 



The early Pears, as Jargonelle and Citron des Carmes, 

 require to be eaten almost as soon as gathered, for they 



will not keep. The late Pears are best left on the tree as 

 long as possible, although it is not wise to leave them after 

 the first or second week of November, as much damage 

 ensues during a rough, windy night. When picking Pears 

 intended lor keeping, avoid bruising them by squeezing 

 with the hand. A Pear that has not been carefully gathered 

 will, before long, show signs of this by becoming dis- 

 coloured where bruised and commencing to decay. A cool, 

 regular temperature seems to be the requisite condition for 

 successfully keeping Pears for any length of time. 



The fruit-room of the writer is fitted with stages — in 

 tiers one above the other — around the sides, and a larger 

 arrangement of similar design in the centre. These stages 

 have shelves about ifin. wide and iin. apart ; the fruit is 

 placed so as to rest between the two pieces of wood. 

 Pears may be made to ripen a few weeks before their 

 proper season if a deficiency in the supply necessitates this. 

 The best method of hastening the ripening process is to 

 place the fruits in a basket inside a warm, airy glass-house. 

 It is important that the Pears in the fruit-room be frequently 

 examined, so that all decayed fruit may be removed ; if 

 this is neglected, others quickly become contaminated. 



The varieties of early Pears upon which chief reliance 

 should be placed are Jargonelle, Citron des Carmes, and 

 Doyenne d'Ete. The two latter are invariably ripe in July 

 in the open, and the former also on a south wall. Beurre 

 Giffard and Clapp's Favourite are two good-flavoured Pears, 

 which ripen at a most useful time — in August. The last- 

 named keeps we'l for a short time. Williams' Bon 

 Chretien, Souvenir du Congres, Autumn Nelis, Beurre 

 d'Amanlis, and Mme. Treyve are excellent September 

 Pe\rs, of which the first three should be consumed soon 

 after being gathered. In October, Louise Bonne of Jersey, 



F o n d a n t e 

 d ' A u t o m n e , 

 and Beurre 

 Hardy ripen, 

 all of which 

 are excellent 

 Pears. 



Thompson's 

 (in the opinion 

 of many the 

 best- flavoured 

 Pear in culti- 

 vation) is ripe 

 in November, 

 together with 

 Seckle, Marie 

 Louise, Con- 

 Stiller de la 

 C o u r , Van 

 Mons, and 

 Beurre Bosc. 

 This latter, 

 although 

 delicious when 

 properly ripe, 

 is often met 

 with of inferior 

 quality. It 

 requires a 

 warm situa- 

 tion to be 

 developed as 

 it should be. 

 In November 

 and December 

 there are : 



Forelle, the beautifully speckled Trout Pear, of good flavour ; 

 Glou Morceau, one of the best, though to be well grown it 

 requires wall protection. Doyenne du Cornice, the favourite 

 Pear of many persons, succeeds well as an espalier, as does 

 also General Todleben, a large and delicious fruit. Beurre 

 Diel, Beurre Bachelier, and Chaumontel are all good 

 December Pears. 



The best late Pears are : Winter Nelis, an abundant 

 cropper and of excellent flavour ; Beurre de Jonghe, 



