204 ANNUAL REPORT. 



I thought they were about worthless, and so they proved to be, for 

 there are but two or three out of the lot left. I set out fifty Golden 

 Russets; they came on and bore. I lost twelve of these trees in a 

 storm, but they came up again from the ground. 



Mr. Brimhall. I think it would be better to recommend to farmers 

 to buy two year old trees. 



President Smith, This question seems to have been pretty thorough- 

 ly discussed; it has had about an hour and a half. 



Mr. Kellogg. Mr. Tuttle has sprung another question on us, as to 

 the formation of trees, and the height of the top; that will take anoth- 

 er hour's discussion; we shall never get back to where we started. 

 But before leaving this question of root grafts, I will say that I think 

 the very fact that farmers wont take care of them is no reason why it 

 is not the best way to grow an orchard. There must be thorough cul- 

 tivation, of course; it is only neglect that kills them, still they don't 

 require any more attention than a farmer gives his calves. How long 

 would a calf continue to grow if you didn't feed him night and morn- 

 ing? 



Mr. Sias. One thing more. Farmers never set their trees deep 

 enough, if they set them with a dibble. They ought to set them with 

 a spade. I have been practicing setting with a spade the last two or 

 three years, digging holes four feet deep and four feet wide, digging 

 them in the fall, and find my trees have been doing better, by this 

 plan of getting the roots lower down; if trees are set with a dibble 

 the roots will be covered so shallow, right where they want to extend, 

 they will dry up. The dirt should be stirred deeply. 



Mr. Smith. T want to ask what good two j'ear old trees, as they 

 come from the nursery, are worth; what would be a fair price for 

 them' I think nine-tenths of the farmers are paying three and four 

 dollars a dozen when they would not take care of root grafts. 



Mr. Sias. I have no objections to telling what I am selling my 

 trees for. I sell any number under fifty of my best Russian varieties 

 at twenty-five cents apiece. 



Mr. Smith. Two years old? 



Mr. Sias. From two to four years old; anything two years old or 

 anything above that age; we have been selling for years at those 

 prices. If they take fifty trees or upwards, the price is twenty cents. 

 If they go much higher than that it is still lower. 



Mr. Tuttle. In selling in small lots, of course the price would vary; 

 some varieties are worth more than others; twenty or twenty-five cents 

 is our price for trees when a man sends a small order. 



