The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-05-07
agricultural department.
BY ALBERT CHAPMAN
Pear Culture IN Vermont.

Pear Culture IN Vermont.
A Paper read Jefore the Vermont Board
of Agricultural, DC, at Montpelier
February 81, 1872, BY Henry Lane
Esq, ofCornicaH,
Concluded.
DISEASES OF THE PEAR.
Among the many obstacles that the
pear culturist has to contend with, the
blight is decidedly the worst. There are
two kinds of blight, the frozen sap blight
and insect blight. The insect which
causes the blight deposits its eggs some.
time in July or August just below a bud
generally on shoot of one or two years
growth. After the egg matches, the
small grub burrows towards the center Of
the stem, cutting off the vessels which
carry the ascending sap. At the
very first indication of the disease the
branch should be cat off and burned |
have not been troubled with this disease
for the last ten years. Previous to 1860
| lost several from this insect.
More trees are lost from frozen sap
blight, than from any or all other causes
1t is the great hindrance to the otherwise
easy and profitable cultivation of this fine
fruit. This disease is caused by late
unripe growth, and by the winter over.
taking the tree before the wood has fully
ripened. The only remedy is prevent.
alive one. Do not make your soil over
rich. Avoid summer enriching or stimu-
lating the tree. Remove all excess Of
water in the soil by drainage. Give
good culture early to obtain an early
growth, but cultivate none after midst
mer. Every diseased branch should be
cut away at an earliest moment after ii
appears, cutting below the lowest dark
spot on the bark or wood. In the spring
OF 1870 l set forty pear trees. That
year there was but little rain from early
spring until past midsummer. The fall
was warm with abundant rains. These
trees grew but little the first half of the
season but commenced o spring-like
growth in October. Those that had fruit
buds blossomed in November. Thirty Of
these trees died the next spring. Such
remarkable seasons cannot be prevented
INSECTS.
The borer, the great enemy of the ap.
pie tree. fortunately, does not trouble the
pear The caterpillar and canker worm
nearly the same that trouble the apple
trees, sometimes increase in numbers and
size with great rapidity, and should be
crushed at their first appearance. There
is slug that sometimes attacks the leaf
eating out the succulent part of it. Wher
this has been done to any considerable ex
tent the tree and fruit is stopped il
growth. Lime or ashes busted on thi
Shiny insect is sure death to it. This in
sect has never troubled me except in tn,
summer of 1866.
THINNING FRUIT.
Varieties like the Bartlett and Louis
Bonnie de Jersey commence bearing youn,
and are inclined to over bear. Trees 70
the first five years should bear but fey
specimens. Remove all fruit from wea
branches that they may overtake i
growth the stronger, and thereby com
2lete the symmetry Of the tree. IF one
half Of the fruit is removed from an owe
bearing tree the remaining half will b
worth more than the whole if allowed t
remain on the tree. Thin when abou
one fourth grown. AT this time the in
perfect fruit, those specimens which if a
lowed to remain would be worthless, ca
be detected, Many trees, if allowed t
perfect all the fruit they will when youn
will 30 exhaust themselves as to scarcel
ever recover from it. Important as it
to thin their fruit, very few persons cv'
practice it.
GATHERING.
The pear unlike most all other fru
should not be allowed to perfectly nj
ture on the tree. Some varieties, if ripel
ed on the tree, are nearly worthless, b.
if gathered at the proper time possess ii
richest flavor. Gather when the fru
begins to fall. Some varieties it W
hardly do to wait for this, but should
picked when the stem will cleave fro
the spur without breaking. The Bartle
and Flemish Beauty will be good if pic
ed before fully grown. When harveste
pears should be placed in a dark, coo
dry place.
Color is very important to a grower
the pear for market. Color depends
soil, elevation and humidity of climat
Light colored soil gives our highest CO
ored pears. The hill or elevated pla
gives handsomer fruit than the alluvi
flats. On the lowlands along our rive
the fruit will remain of dull, clou,
green, entirely destitute of that high c,
or so desirable in the pear. Accord
to my observation trees standing whe
the seed was planted, without root pru
ing to prevent the roots striking deep
the subsoil, will produce higher color
fruit than those trees that, when your
have their tap root cut and thus enco,
age the throwing out of branching 70,
into the surface soil. This question
color requires of the pear culturist Gle
observation and study.
Fruit culture has a beneficial infuer
upon the health, habits and tastes of {
cry family. 1t is desirable for every m
to provide fruit for his family, and if D
sible to cultivate the trees in his own o
den with his own hands. A large n
jority Of the rural population in our st,
own the houses in which they live, q
the land surrounding. Upon many
the farm houses much care and expe,
have been bestowed to the almost ent
neglect of the exterior, the fruit gard
and home surroundings. A large nu
Der OF our farmers homes are naked,
a single ornamental tree in the yard,
fruit tree in the garden. Such pla,
lack the comforts and influence of D.