TKANSPL ANTING STOCKS. 139 



require to stand one year in the nursery rows, to be fit for 

 working ; and in the third class, such as are too weak to be 

 put in the nursery rows, but will require to bo " bedded 

 out;" that is, set closely in beds by themselves, where they 

 can remain for one or two years, until they are large and 

 strong enough for root grafting or for the nursery rows. 

 Unless in the case of stocks scarce and difficult to procure, 

 this third class had better be thrown away at once ; as it 

 Avill cost as much to nurse them as to raise fine stocks 

 from the seed. 



2d. Time to take up. There is but one proper time to 

 take up all seedlings and rooted layers for stocks, and that 

 is the fall ; and for several reasons. The first is, they 

 are all liable to injury by the frosts of winter ; seedlings 

 have no side roots to hold them in the ground, and layers 

 are near the surface, so that the freezing and thawing 

 draw them up ; the roots arc thus exposed, and seriously 

 injured. The second is, they can be dressed during the 

 winter in the cellar, and be ready for planting in the spring. 

 When taken up, they can be laid closely in by the roots 

 in the soil, in a dry place, and covered over so as to 

 exclude frost. When out-door work is over, they can be 

 uncovered, taken into the cellar and dressed, and care- 

 fully laid in again by the roots, in the same place, which 

 should, of course, in the mean time, be protected from 

 frost. The third reason is, that when seedlings are taken 

 up in the fall, the ground can bo prepared for another 

 crop ; and this is of considerable importance. In the 

 case of layers, the stools or mother plants can be manured, 

 dressed, and put in order for another season's growth; 

 and this, also, is important. Such arc some of the ad- 

 vantages, or, in f-ict, the necessities of taking up stocks in 

 the fall. In the case of the quince, however, it frequently 

 occurs that, when the layers have been removed in the 

 fall, a severe winter kills the stool plants, unless well pro- 

 tected with a coverino; of earth. 



