62 STATE PO BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the season. In a thrift}', well-ripened tree we have an excellent 

 stock for transplanting. The sap is concentrated. A secretion of 

 gum and starch takes place in the parts above ground. It can 

 endure the winter. It has, as you might say, a stock-in-trade which 

 it can draw on when transplanted next season. A tree will not go 

 through the winter safely when there is a superabundance of sap in 

 the body. The freezing in this state will cause an undue expansion 

 which will destroy the texture of the wood. The consequence is, 

 the sap becomes sour and stagnant ; the heart wood turns dark ; in 

 short, a black-hearted tree is the result. 



The pear, plum and cherry do not generally succeed when root- 

 giafted. They are grown the first year in a bed, the same as the 

 apple. The tap-root of the pear is long and very destitute of side 

 roots and fibres. Unless this tap-root is shortened the first 3'ear, 

 the trees are almost worthless for any future use. Sometimes we 

 whip-graft the pear stock an inch above the collar before planting 

 in the nursery rows, with about six inches of root, and they suc- 

 ceed fairly well. There is this difference in the planting of the 

 grafts : with the apple, but one bud on the scion is left above 

 ground, whereas on the pear an inch of the stock and whole scion 

 are above. But the plum and cherry are mostly made by budding. 



An important operation is the shaping and trimming of the trees 

 which requires familiarity and experience with the different sorts. 

 Those of a sprawling habit a^e cut close to the ground to ensure a 

 straight and vigorous shoot. With others stockiness and well- 

 ripened wood are taken into consideration and cut back accordingly. 

 Cutting-back is always done when the tree is in a dormant state. On 

 two and three-year-old trees the side limbs are cut close in August 

 before the second growth commences. Trees for the last season in 

 the nursery are trimmed to a whip and cut back to a proper height 

 to set a top. This is done in the spring. 



Not to weary you too much with the details of nursery practice I 

 will tell you what I have learned from nearly twenty years of expe- 

 rience in the business ; that we can grow as good a tree in Maine as 

 they can in New York or anywhere else ; that we can grow as many 

 to the acre and as straight and healthy. I would say to those about 

 to engage in the nursery business, do not use up your capital in ex- 

 perimenting, but go to some reliable nurseryman and make your- 

 selves familiar with every part by seeing it done. I will dismiss 

 tWs nursery talk here as I have a few suggestions to offer relative to 

 the propagation and testing of new varieties. 



