52 THE AMERICAN PEACH ORCHARD 



ably. The trees, if properly handled, develop low 

 round-topped bushes and come into bearing earlier 

 than standard trees of the same varieties. 



BUYING TREES 



Most peach growers will find it strictly to their 

 advantage to buy their trees from some reliable 

 nurseryman. In saying this, however, we have 

 given the most important specifications. If one deals 

 with a thoroughly reliable nurseryman (and this in- 

 cludes a great majority of the firms engaged in the 

 business), most other matters may be referred to 

 the judgment and advice of the man who sells the 

 trees. 



There is a strong prejudice among peach growers 

 in many parts of the country favoring locally grown 

 nursery trees. This prejudice is particularly strong 

 in the northern states. It is doubtful if it has any 

 foundation whatever. Experience seems to show 

 conclusively that the best trees will make the best 

 growth regardless of where they spent their in- 

 fancy. Conditions in the nursery trade are such at 

 the present time that a large majority of all peach 

 trees are grown in the southern and south-central 

 states. These are distributed to all parts of the 

 country, and very often the buyer who supposes 

 he is getting northern grown trees simply because 

 his bill is made out on a northern letterhead, is 

 really planting stock which grew in Huntsville, Ala. 

 Usually he is much better off than if the trees had 

 been grown at the North Pole. The only advantage 

 of buying trees from a local nursery is gained by 

 minimizing the possibilities of injury in transit. A 

 good many trees are carelessly packed, and when 

 delayed during long freight shipments, dry out and 



