MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c. 103 



Take a (harp penknife, and with the point of it make an 

 incifion through the rind of the Pear from the fo'otftalk to the. 

 eye, in the fame way as you would fcarify a bark-bound tree, 

 taking care to penetrate as little into the fleih of the Pear as 

 poffible. At the fame time beat up fome frefh cow-dung 

 with wood-afhes, and with your forefinger rub in a little of 

 this Compofition where you made the fcarification ; as the 

 wound heals, the Compofition will be difcharged from the 

 fruit ; this will prevent the Pears from cracking and burfting, 

 which renders them good for nothing. The forts that are 

 moft liable to this diforder are, the Colmar, Virgouleufe, 

 and Crafane. 



I only recommend this operation for wall Pears. It may 

 be thought by fome a troublefome operation. It certainly 

 will take up fome time; but fure I am, that no gardener, 

 who wi flies to have his manner's table well fupplied with fine 

 Pears during the Winter, will grumble at lofing a few hours 

 fleep in a morning, or fpending an hour or two in an evening 

 after his men have left work. It may, perhaps, prevent him 

 from fpending his money and lofing his time in a public-houfe, 

 or in fome trifling amufement to very little purpofe. At the 

 fame time it will afford him fingular fatisfaction to find his 

 handy work profper. 



Refpecting the Diftance at which Pear-Trees Jhoidcl be planted" 

 from each other againfi Walls, and of the Breadth of the. Bor- 

 ders. 



If Pears are grafted on free Stocks, fuch as Colmars, Pear 

 . D'Auch, Crafanes, L'EfchafTeries, Virgouleufes, and Winter 

 and Summer Bonchretiens, they fhould be planted at leaft 



twelve. 



