“Peares and wardens wolde be graffed before any maner of apples, bycause the sappe commeth sooner and rather in-to the peare-tree and warden-tree, thanne in-to the apple-tree. And after saynt Valentynes daye, it is tyme to graffe both peares and wardens, tyll Marche be comen, and thanne to graffe appels to our lady daye. And than graffe that that is gette of an olde apple-tree fyrste, for that wyll budde before the graffe get of a yonge appletree late graffed. And a peare or a warden wolde be graffed in a pyrre-stocke ; and if thou canst get none, than graffe it in a crabbe-tree stocke, and it wyll do well and some men graffe theym in a whyte-thorne, and than it wyll be the more harder and stonye. And for all maner of appels, the crabtree stocke is beste.“
Master Fitzherbert, The Boke of Husbandry (1523)
So that’s pears and warden-style cooking pears between Feb 14th and the end of the month, and apples until March 25th. Plenty of pear and crab apple stocks to hand, and you’re good to go.
See Master Fitzherbert’s previous post for details on how to assemble your grafting kit.