Hi Keith,

I wasn't challenging the wisdom and factual basis of your advice, just
expressing some mild frustration that I tried to do it right this time
(with high expectations) and got disappointed.

I won't give up on the Pear until next spring, if it fails to bud.
Meanwhile, I've been giving it 5 gallons of water every other day. Is
that too much? I all soaks into the ground within 3 minutes or so.

As for the Maple, I removed all the limestone, put a cutaway 2-liter
bottle around the trunk, and replaced the limestone. So now there is
an air pocket all the way down to the root flare. When I removed the
limestone, I noticed that the trunk was damp (darker color) near the
bottom. Now it is dry. That's good, right?