70 THE NUT CULTUEIST. 



should be opened for the reception of the plants, and 

 wide enough to allow all the roots to be spread out in a 

 natural position ; and it is well to set a little deeper than 

 the seedlings were in the seedbed, because newly plowed 

 ground will settle some after the planting is finished, 

 although the soil should always be packed firmly about 

 the stems of newly set trees, whether large or small. 

 The more frequent and thorough the cultivation during 

 the ensuing summer, the more rapid will be the growth 

 of the trees. 



If the transplanted seedlings have produced any 

 considerable number of side branches, and especially, 

 low down, these may be pruned off at any time during 

 the summer, for our object is usually to secure straight, 

 upright stems for grafting the following spring, if they 

 are large and tall enough ; if not, we may delay this oper- 

 ation for another year. Of course, small chestnut stocks 

 may be grafted close to the ground, but there is nothing 

 really gained by this, for a good strong stock will push 

 a cion forward more in one season than a weak stock in 

 two or three seasons. But when the stocks have reached 

 a diameter of from three-eighths to one-half an inch 

 three or four feet from the ground, they may be grafted, 

 but I would prefer to have them a little over than under 

 these sizes. 



Stocks From the Forests. It is not necessary 

 for a man who may need a few chestnut stocks for ex- 

 perimental or other purposes, to wait until they can be 

 grown from the nut, because these can always be pur- 

 chased at the nurseries ; but if one does not wish to 

 incur even this small outlay, it may be avoided by ob- 

 taining a supply from the forests, provided there are 

 any in the neighborhood where chestnut seedlings are to 

 be found, and the owner will permit their removal. The 

 best wild stocks are usually to be found in recent clear- 

 ings, or where the larger trees have been cut off for tim- 



