Barry, in his Fruit Garden, very truly remarks: "Too many people imagine that trees can take care of themselves, as trees in the forest, on the ground that nature preserves a balance in all her works; but it should be borne in mind that a fruit-tree is not exactly a natural production. It is far removed from the natural state by culture, and, the further it is removed, the more care it requires.19

Upon this theory is based the whole management of the improved fruit varieties. Civilized fruit (as Van Mons used to call the more refined varieties) are the offspring of art and human skill; and, as all artificial, and of course more delicate products do, require artificial treatment Hence the endless treatises on pruning and training; so many, indeed, that one feels deterred from their perusal by their length and dogmatical appearance. Let us try to compress in a few hints and facts, the main principles of that most important operation.

We confine ourselves to the pear-tree for the present, and chiefly to the pear-tree of the garden, which requires a pyramidal or conical shape, and a mode of treatment different from other species of fruit-trees.

In planting a tree in its ultimate site, few persons pay any attention to the bent or direction of the tree. This ought to be our first care; for scarcely any tree of a certain size is so straight as not to show a curving or arching disposition. This curve or arch must always be turned towards the southwest to be able to resist, in some measure, that peculiar influence which, in this country, with the ocean in the rear, affects the tree just in the same way as in the old continent with the ocean in our face. In Europe, we generally think that this repulsive influence is owing to the combined action of the sun in its greatest power (2 or 3 o'clock), and the prevailing winds of the Atlantic. Whatever may be the reason, the same result takes place here with the western land winds; and the isolated trees recede from that point, body and limbs; the pear and peach-tree more than any others.

This influence is very marked on the limbs - always plenty of them on the north and east side; and a deficiency on the southwest side. We have, therefore, to keep the tree as well supplied as possible on that quarter, cut the leading shoot just above a bud pointing to the south or west, and remove what is too abundant on the north or east side.

The best, sturdiest trees, the handsomest pyramids, are those that have been often cut back (recepe), to increase the strength of their basis and to compel them to make " their own wood in their ultimate place;" the French call that "faire bois neuf sur place".

The position of the buds, and consequently of the branches, is beautifully symmetrical and spiral, as if nature intended to give her products the best chances for equilibrium. We must take advantage of it; and, if we do not neglect a tree, symmetry will be the law of its general shape.

Nothing is more irrational than to preserve every branch which the tree brought from the nursery, where there is not leisure enough to make pyramids in the proper time (say two or three years from the bud). It is not advisable to suppress too many stout limbs at once in planting. We have already hinted at the proper mode of removing those branches gradually, without much injury to the tree; but when, afterwards, we have the tree under full control, we must not allow a branch "to make opposition (to compete) with the body," as Van Mons termed it. He says: whenever such competition takes place, cut the limb, wherever it may be, till equilibrium is restored. Those kind of limbs, when loaded with fruit, split from the main body, and I have seen scores of fine trees destroyed in that way. They are ill-looking things, unmanageable, and do not bear more fruit, on an average, than regular, well-pruned branches would do, with infinitely more safety.

Great is the number of persons who would not cut a limb, nor suppress a fruit-bud. They have no patience, and must have the fruit, let the tree afterwards be spoiled I This is not a wise policy. By the time I should have my trees mature, fitted and able to bear sound fruit on well-disposed branches, you will have to go back, and, to save your tree, to commence the operation I just finished. The Toss of a few fruits on a young tree is nothing compared with an interruption of regular crops in the proper time of bearing. Let us first have well-trained students before we have doctors and lawyers. Let your tree shape, educate, and strengthen itself under good management, while young and of small crops, and afterwards you may safely rely on yearly increasing crops, with full security, and without props, straps, and all kind of odd looking, and disgraceful supports. We planted, and enjoyed the fruits of thousands of trees, and rarely, if ever, had to support a tree in an erect and proper position. A pole bound to the tree rubs that side, destroys the limbs there, and makes bare spots forever.

The pruning knife, with a proper dose of patience, is the safest propping and the most satisfactory in its ultimate results.

When a tree is well shaped, and of the required age and size, it will bear its fruit with a symmetry and equipoise truly astonishing; but, to attain that result, the branches ought to be nearly all of proportional size with the size of the main body; more slender and shorter when coming nearer to the top of the pyramid.

For a garden, the best shape is undoubtedly the pyramid, or the conical. We always found the pyramidal form best, the most graceful, and the most easily managed. With some varieties, indeed, it seems almost the only possible form; such are the St. Michael Archangel, Baronne de Mello, Fondante de Noel, Duc de Brabant, etc. etc., which cannot be brought under any other form. Another advantage is that, by the pyramidal shape yon get the fruit-spurs closer to the main body; with light and air enongh to ripen all, and without exposing your fruit to be rocked and swung, stunted and smashed, by the autumnal winds, going the rounds of the compass at every blow; while the "accidental" loss of a branch is comparatively nothing, and easily remedied.

Some varieties, it is true, bear only at the end of their branches, as the Madeleine, Catillac, etc.; but when they grow old enough under the pyramidal form, they bear closer, and I have seen pyramids of Catillacs, Franc-reals, and Josephines, just as full as any orchard tree could be with its open and distended form.

A great deal has been said about the proper time for pruning. As applied to large orchard trees, the removal of stout limbs can remain sub judice, although we think the spring the best time. We only intend to speak about the regular pruning of moderate, or foil-sized pyramids, or, of such trees as have been submitted to some previous treatment. Our long experience has confirmed us in the truth of the old French rule, "Tattle tot, taille tard, Rien ne vaut taille do Mars;" which, translated, sounds as.

"Prune early or late, No better time than March".

We have different reasons for this. Our first and principal is, that some varieties, chiefly in severe winters, will not bear pruning before winter or during cold weather. Secondly, the healing process commences right after the operation, without injury by frost or exposure of wounded limbs. Thirdly, we see the blossom-buds more swollen, and can distinguish those at a glance; and last, but, by no means least, we retard the blossoming and the starting of the vegetation, at least for some days; which, in our uncertain climate, is a matter of no small , consideration; for hardy varieties, which can bear the operation before winter (as Lawrence, Sterling, Buffum, etc. &c), with impunity, come out rapidly in the spring.

If you wish a pear-tree to bear early, to test a new or favorite variety, let the pruning be very moderate. A severe pruning will cause the spurs to go over to wood or shoots instead of fruit bearers; and the blossom will drop, or set with deficient fruit in consequence of the disturbance of the general economy of the sap. But, we again repeat, if you want sound, handsome, and good bearing trees, "have patience," and do not spoil a valuable colt by driving it, before it is fitted to the harness. Please remember that a pear-tree is not a currant bush, nor a wild peach-tree; which last, by the by, would be all the better also for a systematic pruning.

In pruning young thrifty trees, take off a good part of the terminal shoot. The sap flows with great power to the top, and that part of the tree is much exposed to be overfed, and in consequence, to droop and bend down for want of proportional strength.

These are, in a brief way, the main rules. Everybody knows that in pruning we must avoid forks, or too many branches starting from one limb, because if that limb should die, an irremediable void is formed, and because it disturbs and destroys the equilibrium of the tree by calling for too much food. Everybody knows that all good pruning must consist in filling vacuums, and thinning out thickly branched parts. That a shoot ought to be cut, clean, just above a bud, which bad must be on the under, or outside part of the shoot, rarely or never in a vertical position, because it would tend to bring in the construction of the tree more of those vertical or upright shoots, every one of which ought to be carefully cut away, as absorbing, by a natural privilege of its vertical position, all the sap, and destroying the harmony of the tree. It follows that a limb inclined at an angle of 45°, or a lower bend, is more fitted to make spurs, and go over to bearing by the deprivation of superabundant sap. Inclined, or down-bent limbs, of course, make a tree bear, but are so injurious to the growth of the tree that we have seen many of the stoutest pyramids, and most vigorous varieties, give up at once and linger or die, if not immediately submitted to a regular mode of pruning.

An angle of 45° is the best direction for the limbs of a pyramid. They make good bearers, without injuring the health and vigor of the tree.

I fear, Mr. Editor, that my remarks have taken more room than I intended to give them, and still there is so much more to be said; but I hope that some may be induced to let trees be trees, instead of bushes, and wait a little longer for better and more fruit, by a rational treatment of that invaluable ornament of our gardens and desserts.

Pruning Of Pear-Trees #1

Another most valuable article from your correspondent "B." Read it, everybody who grows a pear-tree, and wants to cultivate it right.