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length of several feet. When taken out 

 of the ground, tliese are necessarily shor- 

 tened so far that nothing hke a root is 

 left, and perhaps only a few branches, 

 like horns, to which the roots were at- 

 tached, bnt which were lopped off in the 

 taking up. This tree is then planted 

 in the ground, where it remains two or 

 three years before it begins to vegetate ; 

 it is then despoiled of its head, if it has 

 been fortunate enough to get one, and 

 grafted, after which it is left to take its 

 chance, subject to all the danger and in- 

 vasion of insects, the common accidents 

 attending the culture of the land, if 

 arable, or if in pasture fields, to the inju- 

 ries of cattle. I have no particular ob- 

 jection to the planting crab-stocks, and 

 afterwards grafting them, because I would 

 not wisli to reject any old custom, unless 

 it was manifestly absurd, but at all 

 events, it must be no less than so much 

 time lost, for if the tree was grafted 

 when young, it might, after planting, be 

 suffered to grow without taking off its 

 head j a practice, which although it 



