Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-25
Standard and Dwarf Pears


BY advocating dwarfs for some
purposes, / do not by any means
wish to be understood as recommen-
ding them for all uses, in all locali-
ties, and under all circumstances.
In small enclosures and ordinary
town lots however, for my own use,
would plant no other; or if
wished to intersperse ftuit trees in a
door yard or other ornamental
grounds, would use dwarfs, as they
are of themselves quite ornamental
as well as useful.
For orchards or field planting,
standards are of course preferable,
and are in general use in this country
even in localities where dwarfs are
popular for their appropriate de-
sign.
That dwarf trees will produce as
good fruits and as heavy crops in
proportion to size as standards, i
believe is not questioned, and is con-
coded by the best authorities that
some varities, especially of the pears,
produce finer specimens when dwarf
ed then they do as standards.
The principal objection urged
against dwarfs, so far as / know, is
that they are "short lived" To
this point / shall devote some atten-
ton. If the facts sustain this objec-
ton it is serious difficulty, aud
therefore should be duly considered
and rightfully settled.
/ think l will be able to show very
satisfactorily that, where they have
a suitable situation and proper care,
they live long enough to give a
handsome return for all the care and
labor bestowed upon them.
I will say here that in selecting
varieties of pears for dwarffing, or
dwarf planting, none should be used
but those which are known to
succeed we'll in this form, and On
ounce stocks. ass
1t will be remembered by all who
attended the evening meeting of the
Keokuk, Horticultural Society
| in 1871, / believe it was,
| and during the time of the State
Fair, that this question was some
what deliberately discussed. 1t was
there distinctly stated by some of
the speakers, that "pear trees, on
ounce roots, would not live more
than six or seven years unless
planted deeply, and the necessary
m cans used to cause roots to be
thrown out from the pear stock above
the union of it with the ounce"
may not have given the precise
words, but / have stated substan-
TALLY what was urged on that occa-
sion by the opponents to dwarf pear
trees, on the ground Of their being
short-lived.
Now upon this question I have
had nineteen years. experience in
Iowa and l will give the result
briefly:
In the spring of 1854 I Sc. out
about one thousand ounce stocks;
part of them were the apple or or
anoe ounce and the rest were the
Anglers, and importe d from Anglers,
in France.
Ofthose on which the bud grew,
sold most at two and three
wears old, but about that time a
norton of what had left put on an
unhealthy appearance, and in two
or three years more all of that class
were dead or 80 badly diseased that
7 dug them out. The others remain
ed healthy, and ] disposed of all but
a few which / transplanted In my
own grounds, where all but two or
three vet remain, and in as good
health. considering the care bestow-
ed upon them as ! could expect.
AS these made their first growth
from bud, in 1857, they are now
eighteen years old.
/ accounted for so many OF these
stocks having died out in the first
four to six years, in various ways
but did not conceive OF what l am
now satisfied was the true cause,
until / read an article on that SUD-
Iiect in some paper or periodical sug-
costing that spear trees worked on
the common ounce, were snort
lived, and that the Anglers and or-
leans ounce were the only varieties
AZ for that purpose" Since then !
have worked on no other stock tnan