170 THE NURSERY. 



two or three twists. The two ends of the wire are 

 then placed around the stem, or a branch of the tree, 

 and are fastened with a twist or two. This kind of 

 wire and label we find, by experience, to be not only safe, 

 but more expeditiously attached than any other. If a 

 little paint is rubbed on just before being used, the writ- 

 ing will be more legible and permanent, but it should be 

 so light a.s to be barely perceptible, else it will clog the 

 pencil. These labels are now manufactured in this city 

 by machinery, and furnished to the nurserymen, without 

 the wire, at thirty to forty cents per thousand. The wire 

 costs sixty cents per pound, and is cut into lengths with a 

 pair of common shears. 



Packing. Persons who are ignorant of the structure 

 of trees never appreciate the importance of packing, and 

 that is the reason why so many trees are every year 

 destroyed by exposure. It is not uncommon, in this part 

 of the country, to see apple trees loaded up on hay-racks, 

 like so much brush, without a particle of covering on any 

 part of them, to travel a journey of three or four weeks 

 in this condition. Of course it is utterly impossible that 

 such trees can live or thrive ; and yet the persons who 

 thus conduct their nursery operations are doing the most 

 profitable business. Such practices are not only dishonest, 

 But highly injurious and disreputable to the trade ; and 

 it is by no means fair to class such people amongst re- 

 spectable and honorable nurserymen. 



Purchasers are often at fault in this matter. Nursery- 

 men have to buy and pay for the material used in pack- 

 ing. Mats cost one to two shillings apiece; straw, four 

 to five cents per small bundle ; yarn, one to two shillings 

 per pound ; moss, $15 to $20 per cord ; and besides, the 

 labor of packing, when well done, is very great. It is, 

 therefore, not unreasonable that a charge be made ; but 

 some people, rather than pay fifty cents for packing fifty 

 trees, would expose themselves to the risk of losing all. 



