78 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



COMMON SENSE IN PLANTING TREES. 



G. P. TURNER, MEADVILLE. 



The subject of tree planting has been discussed for many years in 

 the past, and will probably occupy the minds of men for many years in 

 the future. 



That common sense is needed in this branch, as well as other 

 "branches of horticulture, is evident, and that common sense has often 

 to give way to superstition, bigotry and ignorance must be admitted. 

 By the term "tree- planting," I mean not only the putting of the tree in 

 the ground, but all the details that go before and follow after that act. 

 There are men before me, members of this society, who have made a 

 life-long study of this and other matters pertaining to horticulture, 

 whose opinion I would rather ask than offer to instruct. I will, there- 

 fore, in the presence of these esteemed gentlemen, speak of some of 

 the details connected with tree-planting as they appear to me, trusting 

 that if I am in error I may be convinced of the same and made to see 

 the truth. 



In considering this subject, I wish to be understood as speaking 

 more particularly of fruit trees, although what will apply to fruit trees 

 will generally apply to shade and ornamental trees. 



In the selection of varieties, before planting, our farmers often 

 make no effort, seemingly, to exercise common sense, bat trust to the 

 nursery agent to give them what he thinks best. To be sure the agent 

 is supposed to know more about varieties than the average farmer; yet 

 if our farmers would about look them and read through what our agricul- 

 tural and horticultural journals and competent men say who have made 

 a special study of the different varieties, their trees would cost them 

 much less money and in the end prove much more satisfactory and 

 profitable. 



There seems to be a common weakness among nurserymen for 

 lauding new varieties to the skies. Men who are honest and reliable 

 otherwise will depict a new variety in glowing colors and ask an exor- 

 bitant price for it, and the planter would in 99 times out of 100 have 

 been better paid and better satisfied if he had planted some well- 

 known and well tested variety at one-fourth the cost of the other. 



By way of illustration let us take our standard varieties of apples, 

 such as Ben Davis, Willow Twig, Jonathan, Borne Beauty, Red Astra- 



