No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 471 



will bring about a more favorable and productive condition of the 

 soil for planting trees than a liberal application of barnyard manure, 

 which produces the necessary huraus, so important to the orchard, 

 and then by following for a year or two with deep sub-soiling, a 

 state of fertility shall have been attained by the soil for a fine and 

 healthy growth of trees. 



SELECTING TREES. 



It would not be advisable for the average farmer and orchardist 

 to raise their own trees, but more economy and convenience could 

 be practiced in buying them from the nursery. It might be pvc- 

 ferable, in some cases, for the more extensive planters of commercial 

 orchards to grow their own stock; but, as a rule, it is better to buy 

 them, especially so if it can de done at a local nursery. There are 

 many advantages in purchasing of the local nurserymen, provided, 

 of course, he is responsible and perfectly familiar with his business. 

 The local dealer will understand better the demands of his home 

 cust(ftners and will naturally grow the varieties best suited to his 

 section of country, and if he is honest, more reliance can be placed 

 on the correctness of his nomenclature. Considerable difficulty is 

 often experienced by purchasing of agents representing nurseries 

 located at a distance, that their trees are not true to name. By se- 

 curing trees of the near-by nursery, the danger of damage resulting 

 from long transit can be practically obviated, as well as the inju- 

 rious effects of sunshine and frost. 



The selection of trees is a very important feature in orchard grow- 

 ing, for upon care and good judgment in this particular depends 

 largely the future life and profits of our investment. Trees with 

 a strong, stocky, vigorous trunk, abundant root system, well formed 

 top and medium in size are the only ones that should be given a 

 place in the young orchard. It is better to pay twenty cents for a 

 tree of this description than ten cents for one of inferior quality. 

 The age of a tree is not so important as a vigorous and hardy 

 growth, and a stock make-up. • The best trees are not always those 

 of largest size. A two-year old tree, such as already described, all 

 things considered, will give the best satisfaction. Although there 

 are those who prefer a tree of even only one year's growth, while 

 there are some that have a preference for stock three years old. 

 If these directions in buying apple trees are followed and specimens 

 of this type and age are selected, much will be gained in cost, trans- 

 portation and transplanting and more satisfactory and profitable 

 results attained in the end. 



