Hi Lou.

Sorry to have a "non-answer" for you, but I'll share a little related experience that may be useful.

I've tried to root pear cuttings several times and just haven't been able to get root hairs out of the cuttings! I will admit to not being very good at this kind of thing, but I did give it a shot four or five times. No go.

On the other hand, pears take to grafting quite nicely, thank you. If you're new to grafting, (or even if you're not)check out Joreal's tutorial:

http://citrus.forumup.org/about500-0-asc-0-citrus.html

I've grafted pears primarily with ordinary old cleft grafts, but a couple of split and bark grafts have worked out too.

If those pears are really, really special and might do well in Montana, is there any way I could beg/trade/other a couple of scions?

Thanks,

Mark

Hi Mark,
I looked at your page and your email address is not posted there. As far as my page the email for me is incorrect. It is the old one I had two years ago. I tried to update the page but it won't take the changes I want to make.

Living here in PA I won't be able to take scions until early this coming spring. If you post you email address we can get the info needed to send out a few to you.

I like that page you posted because I need all the help I can get.
Lou

Lou, buy some pear rootstocks from e.g. Raintree or One Green World, I would get two so you have a backup. Then do wedge or cleft grafts next spring. Ask here if you have questions. Pears are one of the easiest trees to graft so its a good one to start with.

I think pears can be air layered but I never tried it.

Scott

Hi again Lou.

MarknMT@Yahoo.com is my "safe" address. If you drop me a note I'll respond from my "real" address!

I save scions in the spring too. We have a local variety that is supposed to be "the best" (I have yet to eat one!) and I'll swap you a "Frost" (from the Bitterroot Valley of Western Montana) for your "Pennsylvania Wonder" ('cause we "wonder" what it is ...)

:-)Mark

Pear rootstocks can be produced by "stooling," a type of layering, so I would think that air-layering is reasonably attainable.

The only problem with stooling a pear to get it on its own roots is that you will soon have a towering 80 foot tall tree that rains down either hard pears which is a hazard to your skull, or overripe pears which aren't much use to you. It would be far more effective to spend a few dollars getting the proper rootstock and do the simple graft.

You might think that handling a mature pear tree with only a 6 foot step ladder is quite an advantage ;)

Follow ScottSmiths suggests!

Would you please, explain what is stooling and how to. I have an Orient pear tree. Its fruits are hard like rock so I have been grafting on it. Every year, I grafted at least 2 other types of pear. I must say that indeed it's very easy to graft on a pear tree. I grafted lots of citrus too but I didn't succeed with persimmon. Well I wish to thank you in advance for your help. Kim

Kim,
I am the wrong person to ask about the process of stooling. I received your email wanting an explanation of the stooling process. Here is a pictorial web site that may address your concerns. I hope it details what you asked in your email.
http://www.gtztreecrops.org/Downloads/Manuals/Propagation/Mod04.pdf

I just did the common whip and tongue and some cleft grafts on rootstock that I purchased.
Good luck. It was nice hearing from you.
Lou NE., PA