SELECTING PEAK TREES FROM NURSERY. 87 



One largo nursery of pear trees, which came under my 

 observation, was located upon the bed of a drained 

 mill-pond, tlie water still standing at two or three feet 

 below the surface in the ditches, wJliich were dug at 

 such distances apart, that the water rose to the sur- 

 face between them. On this alluvial soil, an enor- 

 mous growth was obtained, but at the expense of the 

 hcalthfulness of the trees. Of some fifteen hundred 

 pear trees obtained by the author from this ground, 

 nearly half perished by blight during the first year. 

 Other nurseries may be seen located on imperfectly 

 drained alluvial soils. Pear trees grown on such 

 grounds are always deficient in fibrous roots, and con- 

 sequently less able to bear transplanting. 



Disappointment, also, often attends the selection of 

 trees transplanted from poor and neglected soils, 

 particularly those that are light and sandy. The 

 plants acquire a stinted habit of growth, from which 

 they seldom or never thoroughly recover. 



The purchaser should observe if lice or other para- 

 sitic insects have made a lodgment upon the trees, 

 and guard against domesticating a pest which it will 

 require years to exterminate. Trees infested by them 

 in the nursery, are generally stunted, and their growth, 

 for a longer or shorter time, retarded. 



In selecting plants for pyramid trees, choose those 

 that have branches or branch-spurs within a foot of 

 the ground, and fairly distributed along the stem. It 

 will be impossible to find trees in any considerable 

 number with the branches perfectly arranged, still 

 those only should be selected for this purpose which 

 approach the standard as nearly as possible. 



