Some authorities recommend spraying for blossom control and pruning to save the unaffected branches. If the spring is a relatively dry one, spraying is helpful. In our area, spring is accompanied with plenty of rain either in the form of showers or storms, and spraying is a wasted effort. This year, for good measure, we re reaping some of El Nino s erratic behavior. As for pruning, my experience with blight-prone trees has been that I prune back more of the branches than grow in a season.
Fire blight is a capricious disease.
There are times when it will only affect the blossoms of a tree, as in the case of a Maxine pear in our orchard. Now the blossoms turn black as soon as they start to drop their petals, giving the tree the appearance of having been dabbed with black paint. No other part of the tree is affected, but there s no hope of fruit without blossoms. So, when time permits, I m considering making pearwood picture frames. Some years ago I read about a pear called the Orient in a southern grower s catalog.