TRANSPLANTING STOCKS. 143 



cut off, to make way for new ones. The shortening of 

 the stems depends entirely on the size and condition of 

 the roots. If well rooted, and the roots be in good con- 

 dition, they may be left a foot long; if poorly rooted, 

 they should be cut back to six or eight inches. This ap- 

 plies equally to the layers of the quince, Paradise, Doucln, 

 plums, etc. 



5th. Planting stocks in the nursery rows where they 

 are to be budded. The first consideration which this 

 operation suggests is the condition of the soil. Under 

 the head of soils, sufficient has been said respecting the 

 modes of deepening, draining, and enriching and it is 

 only necessary to say here that, where stocks are planted, 

 the soil should be at once deep, dry, and rich / for no 

 such thing as sound, vigorous fruit-trees can be raised on 

 a poor, shallow, or wet soil. The various means of im- 

 provement have been already pointed out and explained. 

 It may, however, be well to remark that ground may be 

 too rich, and induce a rank, watery growth, that would 

 either result in death at the final transplanting into the 

 garden or orchard, or in a very feeble and sickly growth 

 after it. We see frequent illustrations of this in the case 

 of trees raised in old, worn-out nurseries, where rapid 

 growth has been forced by powerfully-stimulating ma- 

 nures, and in rich alluvial prairie soils and river bottoms. 

 These rank, pithy, soft productions, are very attractive 

 to tne eye ; but they suffer so much by removal, no mat- 

 ter how well treated, that they seldom fail to disappoint 

 the planter. Manures used should be well decomposed, 

 and incorporated with the soil, if possible, the autumn 

 before planting. A tree is not like a cabbage or lettuce. 

 The tenderness and succulency of these constitute their 

 great merit ; but the wood of a tree must be firm, 

 short-jointed, and mature; and these requisites are al- 

 ways attained by a moderate and natural, not a forced, 

 growth. 



