328 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
©rcljarir, ©artmt, Caron, Ut. 
DWABF PEARS—WINTER TREATMENT. 
Many suppose, that when the fruit is 
gathered, there is no further need of atten¬ 
tion till vegetation starts anew in the spring ; 
but this is a great, and not unfrequently 
fatal mistake. Among the most destructive 
insects to which the Pear, in common with 
other trees, is liable, is the “scaly bug” 
(cocculus), which gives the tree the appear¬ 
ance of being covered with white specks, 
and which the inexperienced little dream of 
being insects destructive to its vitality. A 
tree covered with scale is in a condition sim¬ 
ilar to that which a man would be in, withhis 
body covered with scores of hungry blood¬ 
suckers, drawing out his very life. The 
comparison is a strong one, but none too 
much so. No tree can long maintain its 
health and vigor, unless these pests be re¬ 
moved. A careful and experienced cultiva¬ 
tor will never allow them to accumulate in 
great numbers ; but it is only a too com¬ 
mon sight to see these insects in such mas¬ 
ses as to make the tree a filthy object to 
touch. It becomes sickly ; the new growth 
s weak and spindling ; the leaves assume a 
“ sear and yellow ” look ; utter barrenness 
ensues ; the tree finally dies ; and then fol¬ 
lows another lamentation over “ our failure ” 
to grow dwarf Pears. It would have been 
a marvelous thing indeed if you had suc¬ 
ceeded. We have no doubt that more than 
half the failures to grow dwarf Pears may 
be traced to bark lice and scale. The sim¬ 
ple fact is, that cleanliness is quite as essen¬ 
tial to health in a tree as in man. A plant 
will no more thrive covered with lice and 
dirt, than will a human being. We find the 
opinion to be quite common, that the scale 
is killed by the winter’s cold ; but this is a 
great error. 
Now for the remedy. We prefer a weak 
solution of whale oil soap, or a pretty strong 
one of soft soap. The solution is best ap¬ 
plied by a long, narrow brush; if this can 
not be had, a common scrubbing brush will 
do ; and it must be used with some vigor. 
As soon as the leaves have fallen, go over all 
your trees in order, and such as are in the 
least affected with scale should be well 
scrubbed ; from the others remove all cater¬ 
pillars’ nests, and every thing else that can 
harbor an insect. We would recommend, 
however, that all the trees be treated with 
the above solution as a part of the regular 
routine of cultivation. They will be great¬ 
ly benefitted by it; and thousands of insects, 
knits, and eggs, many of them quite invisi¬ 
ble to the naked eye, will then be destroyed. 
Clean the ground around the trees from 
grass and weeds, and loosen it up with a 
fork If you have a good supply of manure, 
spread on two or three inches of it, and fork 
it in in the spring. If, however, you are not 
well supplied, do not apply it till spring, 
when half the above quantity may be forked 
in at once. Your trees will now need no 
further special attention till the season of 
pruning arrives, when we shall recur to the 
subject again-—E d. 
CHAPTERS ON PEAR CULTURE-NO. I. 
BY DR. L. B., NEW-JERSEY. 
[The following interesting article was 
written by a gentleman who modestly sup¬ 
presses his name, but his initials, which we 
have taken the liberty to give, will be readi¬ 
ly recognized, by Pomologists especially. 
It is in reply to our request for a plain, sim¬ 
ple article adapted to the comprehension of 
the great mass, who have heretofore given 
little or no attention to the cultivation of 
pears. The writer, (a native of France,) 
being fortunately free from the necessity of 
growing pears for a livelihood, is devoting 
his whole time and attention, and no little 
expense, to improving the production of this 
valuable fruit. We hope for good results 
from his experiments and extensive investi¬ 
gations continually being made. We are 
promised future articles from his pen, which 
we shall value all the more highly, as the 
writer, not being a seller of trees, has no 
“ax to grind,” and is seeking only for the 
truth.— Ed.] 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist: 
Your note containing “ questions on 
pears,” is received. I doubt if I may con¬ 
sider myself sufficiently qualified to give 
satisfactory answers ; however, to comply 
with your desire, I will give you as briefly 
as I can, the results of my experience and 
observation, though I would not wish to be 
considered as “authority.” Everybody can 
make trials as I have done. I shall be grati¬ 
fied if I can say anything to prevent planters 
of pear trees from being misled by empty 
theories, by prejudice, or by the crude opin¬ 
ions of those who have given little attention 
to the subject, but who have been ready to 
publish the results of their errors and care¬ 
lessness as settled rules and evidences. But 
without farther introduction, I will take up 
your questions designed for beginners : 
“ What is the difference between a dwarf 
and a standard, and how is the dwarf 
produced ?” 
The Standard is a tree grafted or budded 
upon a plant of its own family. For exam¬ 
ple : a pear grown from the seed, or one 
grafted on a native pear root, is a standard. 
The seed or pit of apples and pears produces 
almost always a wild tree, only fit for bud¬ 
ding or grafting'with good varieties. The 
wildest (or cider) fruit gives the best seed 
for hardy stock. Seed’of refined varieties 
should only be used for experimenting to 
produce new varieties. Their offspring are 
weaker, and, as in the apple, are unfit to 
make good standards. 
The Dwarf tree is a variety of fruit 
grafted’or worked upon some stock nearly 
allied to the original tree, but of different 
habits'and character. 
The pear can be worked upon the quince, 
the hawthorn, the medlar, the mountain ash, 
the azerolier, and the amelanchier; but the 
only really good dwarf stock is the Angers 
or Orleans quince, which is the only one in 
use in the nurseries. Unless the proper 
quince stock be used, no good result must 
be expected. I have seen some singular 
mistakes in publications, for want of proper 
attention paid to the question : ivhether their 
trees had been budded upon the Angers, or 
upon the indigenous quince, the latter being 
very inferior, if not worthless. 
For the dwarf apple tree we have the 
Paradise stock and the Doucin—the first a 
real dwarf; the second between a dwarf and 
standard. Very many of the apple trees 
planted in our orchards are only Doucins, 
and are badly injured by the wind. A real 
apple standard, with stiff, spring-like roots, 
in good bottom, will not easily bend or give 
way in a storm. 
The quince stock forjnurseries, as well as 
the paradise, is produced from the twigs or 
branches heeled or laid in before winter, and 
planted early in the spring. This operation 
succeeds better in damp and cool climates, 
and in sandy soil, than in this part of the 
United States. Therefore most of these 
plants are imported, (chiefly from France,) 
although they can be produced here, with 
proper care, in soils fitted for them. 
Pear seedlings, and I believe quince stocks 
also, are now obtained in large quantities in 
the nurseries of Rochester, Syracuse, &c., 
&c. I do not know if they are as cheap, all 
things considered, as the imported stock, but 
I have no doubts as to the possibility of 
raising them here. 
And now comes that much controverted 
question: 
“ Will quince-grafted pears do ?” 
I have no hesitation in replying, “ Yes, 
they will,”—and often better than on pear 
stock; and they are less subject to blight. 
I know that I do not agree with the opinions 
of my late friends, Van Mons & Espere, 
who never would admit a quince stock in 
their'experimental gardens. I respect their 
memory, but cannot help considering their 
opinions as a prejudice. They had not 
found out the good quince stock, and per¬ 
haps did not know how to plant quince- 
grafted trees. I myself did not know it 
then. At present, my best trees are on 
the quince ; and my best fruit also. Those 
who would successfully cultivate the dwarfs 
must pay attention to the following rules : 
1. Have a good, substantial, rather deep 
soil, with porous or drained subsoil. 
2. Select the good Angers, or Orleans 
quince for stock. 
3. Plant no other varieties than those 
which’succeed on the quince. 
4. Plant the trees deep enough, so that 
the place where they have been budded 
shall be at least three inches below the sur¬ 
face of the soil. In rolling ground, cover 
with stones, or damp mould, so as to pre¬ 
vent the washing away of the light soil. 
5. Keep the weeds down. 
6. Keep the branches low, and make a 
pyramidal tree, by judicious pruning once or 
twice a year. If well pruned, the tree re¬ 
quires no pinching. A tree with a heavy, 
high top, must not be upon the quince. 
Levels or gentle slopes are better than hills 
or rolling ground. 
It is a fortunate circumstance that most 
of the best market varieties are also best 
suited to the quince stock. Very often the 
grafted tree, when planted in silicious 
(sandy) soil or loam, forms its own roots 
just where it has been budded ; and then, 
