58 ANNUAL REPOKT 



the leaf, when all vegetation has ceased, and if this great law of nature was closely 

 observed by all nurserymen and all deliverers at a distance, done in the spring, the 

 results would be more satisfactory to the fruit grower and more money in the end 

 to the nurseryman. 



In summing up the essence of this paper (if it has any) we gleam the following. 



First, all deciduous trees should be dug when the wood is ripe; or at the falling of 

 the leaf. 



Second, heeled in and covered up root and l)ranch. 



Third, set out when the ground gets warm, not sooner than the 20th of May. 



Fourth, if a drouth occurs during the growing season, mulch without delay. 



There is another thing in regard to fruit trees that have grown in the sun, that 

 is worth}^ of attention. The back on the south side is usually of a light brown, and 

 much thicker than that on the north side, the wood is also mucli tougher and inter- 

 locked together and owing to its zig zag form, contains at least a third more sap 

 cells, which gives it more circulation and resistance. The bark on the north side is 

 thin in color, from a light to a dark green , wood straight and splits free, showing 

 very conclusively to reverse those sides would very naturally injure the tree. To 

 obviate this, before digging I mark each tree with white paint on the south side. 

 There are other things pertaining to the good of fruit trees I could mention, but 

 have already taken up too much of your valuable time. I will here close thanking 

 you for your attention. 



Ill reply to the positions taken by Mr. Pearce in reference to de- 

 livery of nursery stock, Mr. Emery said : 



The facts in the case regarding spring or fall delivery are as follows: 



It is out of the question to have a nursery at every man's elbow in Minnesota. If 

 it were, beyond question, the spring delivery would be the best. 



At a guess, the average customer is 150 miles from the nurser}-. This distance 

 presupposes a reasonable amount of time to dig and transport trees to them. "We 

 can count safely on only 15 days to do this. As a rule the leaves of our hardy trees 

 are ripe and ready to drop at the touch by October first; the wood is thus proven to 

 be ripe, and fit to be dug. 



The farmer is the man to whom advice and admonition must be given. Let them 

 give their nursery stock the deliberate care, that it receives up to the time it is de- 

 livered to them, and we will hear but little complaint regarding failure of stock. 

 There isn't a nurseryman in this room that would dig stock and deliver it in the 

 spring and expect it to do well. JVow, if this sto(-k must be dug in the fall, it can 

 be wintered by the customer, as well as the nurseryman. 



The farmer has no time to drop his seeding and go for stock in the spring, while 

 if he had the stock to hand early in the spring, it could l)e planted at a season when 

 it would be better than later set 



The tree that is set early in the spring is the one that is going to do well for the 

 planter. 



Ours is a changeable climate, no two springs or falls are alike, and we must plan 

 our business with reference to a general average of the whole. 



