<h2><SPAN name="VIII" id="VIII"></SPAN>VIII</h2>
<h3>DWARF PEARS</h3>
<p>Pears are the fruit most largely grown in dwarf
form in America. There are a few well established
and successful commercial orchards of pears, especially
in western New York and Michigan. The pear is
the fruit most assiduously cultivated in dwarf and
trained forms in Europe. At the same time it is the
one with which I confess I have had the least satisfaction.
This is perhaps because I have always experimented
in a country where pears do not naturally<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</SPAN></span>
succeed, and because, further, my fancies have run
more to other kinds of fruit.</p>
<div class="figcenter"><SPAN name="i0088" name="i0088"></SPAN><div class="figborder"> <ANTIMG src="images/i0088.jpg" alt="" /> <p class="caption">FIG. 28—YOUNG ORCHARD OF DWARF PEARS IN WESTERN NEW YORK</p> </div>
</div>
<p>It is probably true that the pear is improved more
in quality than any other fruit by being grown in
dwarf form and trained as cordons and espaliers on
a suitable frame or wall. This is emphatically true in
cold and inclement climates, where indeed some of
the best varieties of pears will not succeed at all<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</SPAN></span>
unless given this advantage. A west wall is recommended
as giving the very finest results. It should
be noted, however, that some varieties do better on
walls than others. Those which grow vigorously in
bush, pyramid, or standard forms receive comparatively
less benefit from wall training.</p>
<div class="figcenter"><SPAN name="i0089" name="i0089"></SPAN><div class="figborder"> <ANTIMG src="images/i0089.jpg" alt="" /> <p class="caption">FIG. 29—DWARF PEARS IN THE OLD AND PROFITABLE YEOMANS ORCHARD, NEW YORK</p> </div>
</div>
<p>The pear is the best of all trees for training in
pyramid form. Sometimes very tall slim pyramids
are made, becoming almost pillars of foliage and fruit
in their old age. These may be in fact upright cordons
which are trained with strong stems and allowed
to support themselves without a trellis. Some of the
less upright growing varieties are difficult to form
into pyramids, and such may be pruned in the ordinary
bush or vase form. In growing dwarf pears
commercially, as is sometimes done, it is probably
best to give most varieties the bush form. The pyramid
is rather harder to maintain.</p>
<p>The pear succeeds well as a cordon tree. Perhaps
the best form is the oblique cordon, one placed at
an angle of about forty-five degrees with the horizon.
The upright and horizontal cordons may also be used,
though neither of these forms is specially well adapted
to pears.</p>
<p>All of the better types of espaliers are suited to
pear trees. Probably the Palmette-Verrier is the
best, although the old fashioned espaliers are often
used. The U-form and the double U-form also succeed
if well built.</p>
<p>The pruning of the pear tree is substantially the
same as that of the apple. Where pear blight is a
factor in the problem, due allowance must be made<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</SPAN></span>
for it. It sometimes happens that entire branches or
arms have to be cut away on account of blighting.
The system of pruning therefore should furnish a
means of renewing such members promptly when
necessity requires.</p>
<div class="figcenter"><SPAN name="i0091" name="i0091"></SPAN><div class="figborder"> <ANTIMG src="images/i0091.jpg" alt="" /> <p class="caption">FIG. 30—ORCHARD OF DWARF DUCHESS PEARS, LOCKPORT, N. Y.</p> </div>
</div>
<p>The quince root prefers a fairly heavy and even
moist soil. A heavy clay loam is best, although a
strong clay will answer. Light sandy soils or loose<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</SPAN></span>
gravelly soils will not give such good results. On the
other hand any clay soil which holds water to a
considerable extent will answer. As these are the
requirements for quince roots, they become also the
requirements for dwarf pears. Any attempt to grow
dwarf pears on a light loose soil is almost certain
to prove a failure.</p>
<div class="figcenter"><SPAN name="i0092" name="i0092"></SPAN><div class="figborder"> <ANTIMG src="images/i0092.jpg" alt="" /> <p class="caption">FIG. 31—PYRAMID PEARS IN A GERMAN ORCHARD</p> </div>
</div>
<p>It is often said that dwarf pears should be planted
deep in the ground when they are set out. The rule
is to put them deep enough so that the bud union
will be buried beneath the surface of the soil. With
such treatment the pear itself often throws out roots
and eventually establishes a feeding system of its
own, becoming independent of the quince stock. It
is then no longer a dwarf tree except by the authority<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</SPAN></span>
of the pruning knife. It is probably true that many
varieties of dwarf pears are longer lived when treated
in this way. In planting, therefore, it becomes a
question whether one desires chiefly a long-lived tree
or a strictly dwarf one. The ease with which dwarf
trees are replaced makes longevity a less important
factor than in commercial orchards of standard trees.</p>
<p>Of course, it is understood that if the dwarfest
form is to be maintained, the tree must be planted high
enough to leave the union out of the ground, thus preventing
the pear from throwing out roots of its own.</p>
<p>The varieties principally grown in this country as
dwarfs are Angouleme, Bartlett, Anjou, and Louise
Bonne.</p>
<p>In European nurseries the list of pears propagated
on quince roots is much larger. The following varieties
are recommended for England by Mr. Owen Thomas,
and are said to be particularly good for training on
walls:</p>
<table summary="list">
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Buerré Giffard</td>
<td class="tdlpad">La France</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Clapp's Favorite</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Buerré d'Anjou</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Jargonelle</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Buerré de Jonghe</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Williams' (Bartlett)</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Doyenne d'Alençon</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Buerré d'Amanlis</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Glou Morceau</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Fondante d'Automne</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Marie Benoist</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Triomphe de Vienne</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Winter Nelis</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Buerré Bosc</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Buerré Diel</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Buerré Hardy</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Nouvelle Fulvie</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Buerré Brown</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Buerré Sterckmans</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Comte de Lamy</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Easter Buerré</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Louise Bonne de Jersey</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Le Lectier</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Pitmaston Duchess</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Olivier de Serres</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Seckel</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Passe Crassane<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</SPAN></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Conference</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Ne Plus Meuris</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Doyenne du Comice </td>
<td class="tdlpad">Bergamotte Esperen</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Marie Louise</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Buerré Rance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Thompson's</td>
<td class="tdlpad">Josephine de Malines</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tdl">Duchesse d'Angouleme</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</SPAN></span></p>
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