Details of Planting an Orchard 69 



is composed of larger, more heavily branched trees than 

 the smaller ones ; but they are more bulky and heavier to 

 handle, and it is a question whether they will develop into 

 any better trees ultimately than the medium-sized grade. 

 A larger percentage of loss in transplanting is likely than 

 when the next smaller grade is used. The smallest grade 

 (A) is composed of fairly good trees, but some of them may 

 be lacking in vitality or have poor root systems. Sometimes, 

 for the sake of reducing the first cost, a grower buys even 

 smaller trees than the 3 to 4 foot grade, but in most cases 

 this proves to be false economy. A few cents a tree of addi- 

 tional cost means comparatively little in the initial expense 

 of starting an orchard, but it may mean a vast sum later 

 in the life of the orchard in the better development of good, 

 vigorous trees. 



While it is of importance that the tops be symmetrical 

 and free from ungainly branching, which cannot be corrected 

 in shaping the trees when planted, the condition of the 

 roots is of even greater concern. They must be abundant ; 

 there should be many fibrous roots, but everything in the 

 nature of "crown-gall" should be avoided. This is a corky 

 or wart-like excrescence, sometimes of considerable size, that 

 forms on the larger roots or on the crown of the tree just at 

 the surface of the ground. While there is a wide difference 

 of opinion and experience concerning the seriousness of 

 this trouble, it is by far the safer plan to discard trees so 

 affected ; the roots in any event are abnormal, and if planted 

 there is always the possibility that the trouble w^ill develop 

 to such an extent as to affect seriously the vigor and dura- 

 bility of the tree. All trees showing crown-gall or abnormal 

 growths of any kind should be rejected. The risk is too 

 great to justify one in doing otherwise. 



