112 SUCCESS WITH SMALL FRUITS. 



which they wish to order their plants. Packages weighing 

 four pounds and less can be sent by mail and received with 

 our letters, and by a little inquiry and calculation it may be 

 found the cheapest and most convenient way of obtaining 

 them. I find no difficulty in mailing all the small fruit 

 plants to every part of the continent. 



The greater part of the counting and packing of plants 

 should be done in a cellar, or some place of lovv', even tem- 

 perature, in order to prevent the little fibrous roots, on 

 which the future growth so greatly depends, from becoming 

 shrivelled. The best part of the roots are extremely sensi- 

 tive to sunlight or frost, and, worse than all, to a cold, dry 

 wind. Therefore, have the plants gathered up as fast as 

 they are dug and carried to a damp, cool room, where the 

 temperature varies but little. From such a place they can 

 be packed and shipped with the leisure that insures careful 

 work. 



After having obtained good, genuine plants to start with, 

 we can greatly improve our stock by a system of careful se- 

 lection. This is a truth of great importance, but so obvious 

 that we need not dwell long upon it. Let me illustrate what 

 I mean by the course I propose to enter upon during the 

 coming season. In our beds of each variety there will be 

 a few plants that, for some reason, will surpass all the others 

 in vigor, productiveness, and especially in the manifestation 

 of the peculiar and distinguishing traits of the variety. I 

 shall carefully mark such plants, remove all others from 

 their vicinity, and propagate from them. Thus, in the 

 course of two or three years, I shall renew my entire stock 

 of standard varieties from the very best and most character- 

 istic specimens of each kind. From this improved stock 

 the best types should be chosen again and again ; and by 

 this course I am satisfied that a surprising degree of excel- 



