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XXXIII. On the Cultivation of an Early and a Late 

 Variety of the Pear on the same Tree In a Letter to the 

 Secretary. By Mr. Duncan Montgomery, C.M.H.S. 

 Gardener to the Duke of Montrose, F. H, S. at Bu- 

 chanan, Stirlingshire. 



Read January 17, 1826. 



Sir, 



I submit to you what I have found to be a very beneficial 

 plan in the management of Pear trees on walls. For twenty- 

 four years and upwards, I have seen the practice of grafting 

 old Pear trees growing against walls with various approved 

 sorts on the same tree ; in doing this the general method has 

 been to cut off all the branches of the tree close to the trunk, 

 except those intended to receive the grafts, and these are left 

 about six inches long. I have also observed the system of 

 side grafting, in order to fill the naked parts of the branches 

 and other gaps in the trees. 



These plans answer to a certain extent, but that which I 

 have particularly to recommend is so useful that it requires 

 only to be named to be generally adopted : it is to graft the 

 half of the late Pear trees with the early sorts, and half the 

 early trees with the late sorts ; for instance, every alternate 

 branch of the Crassane with the Jargonelle, and of the Jar- 

 gonelle with one of the best late Pears. 



The advantage of this plan in a small garden, where the 

 walls are not extensive, is obvious ; and even where there is 

 a great extent of wall, when it is considered that it is mostly 



