Question
Hi,we move to our new house in November 2009.In the garden their is two pear trees, one very old cherry tree and a apple tree.When the weather changed around March April we tidied up the garden and noticed that on one of the pear trees there was ivy growing up it.Both of the trees are of the same type and are about 5 to 6 meters tall.Thay have both been grown next to each other.What we did was with a small saw we put one cut in to the ivy about a meter high from the ground and one just of the ground.At the time the pear tree had leaves growing on it and i think may be some blossoms i can't remember for sure.After two to three weeks the ivy started to die but sadly at the same time we noticed that the leaves of the pear tree were falling of too.Even though the ivy wasn't too much on the tree.All Summer the tree has been bear, do you think it has died or will it recover next year .
My other question is about the cherry tree.The tree is about 70 years old it was here before the house was biuld.Thier used to be a cherry orchid here.It blossomed well and it was full of cherries but the only problem was that the cherries were small and not that juicy it was if they didn't grow to they full size. Is there any thing i can do may be it needs pruning if so when and how do i do it.
I hope you can help me with the information i have given you  

Answer
Kay, It sounds like you cut into the pear trees when removing the ivy, cutting into the vascular system and killing everything above that cut. If not to shocked they may sprout out suckers below the cut but will never have a good shape. In refferance to your cherry tree, pruning would help the overall health of the tree but it is unlikely to change the cherries that grow afterward. Cherry size and taste is genetic and modern large cherries have been selectively breed over hundreds of years to produce a very large and sweat tasting version. It is likely that you just have an old variety of cherry that was grown for ornamental reasons and hasn't had the benefit of seventy years of scientific advancement. I hope this helps.

             Thank You, Gary Overton