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[HDessureault <inter.verbis@videotron.ca>]

Hi Del,
What a heart shattering experience to have a failure of a graft after many
years of watching a tree grow. Never mind, a shoot or more will come up, and
you will have to chose one and maybe try this other method instead, which I
remember describing recently, I hope to someone else.
What I have been doing on p. ussuriensis for a few years now is graft side
branches only, going as high as I care to collect pears and leaving the main
leader as pyrus ussuriensis climbing towards the clouds, if it will.
 In case of rejects, only one branch would be affected and not the whole
tree. Apparently, rejects are common with p. ussuriensis, sometimes after
many years of growth. (Maybe, it was not entirely due to your rubber
band...) Grafting side branches with this kind of tree (way too big) also
simplifies the pruning, since you don't have to worry about the ussuriensis
part above and the tree shape is quite nice when left alone. My biggest
ussuriensis (15 feet approx.) has about six main side branches grafted with
four varieties of pears (Patten, Beauté flamande, Luscious and something
else). The lowest graft is nose level and the highest one is at the length
of my arm standing on a chair. I may do a couple more with the use of a
ladder. Other trees have only one or two varieties on it, but I am working
on it. All I have to do at this point is collect scion wood from lower
branch and keep on grafting higher up. I try to keep the same varieties on
the same side.
 I think it should help pollination also, this closer proximity of more than
one variety. I find p. ussuriensis very difficult to prune, and my best
results yet in term of pruning this type of tree, is what I have just
described.
I have a few p. ussuriensis looking pretty silly in the shape of a vase with
branches doing a funny 90 degree angle curving upward, all competing to
become a leader. The result of many failed attempts or apparent success
without any vigor at grafting the central leader. Is it my imagination, or
is it easier to graft side branches of p. ussuriensis?

Hélène, zone 3
where we had snow today.