Mr. B. O. Curtis says: "Twenty-five and thirty years ago, guided by what seemed to be a general opinion among tree planters that the dwarf should not be planted deep lest the pear strike its roots into the ground and become a standard tree, I planted the lower part of the pear not deeper than the surface of the ground and raised the earth two inches higher; and not over one per cent. of them have formed pear roots. I would now prefer that all had formed pear roots and become half standard, as I would thereby get the advantage of the early bearing of the dwarf and the greater size of the half standard."