CHAPTER IV. 



GROVES FROM TRANSPLANTED SOUR STUMPS. 



HE next most expeditious way of getting a 

 sweet grove is from transplanted stumps of 

 sour trees. It is sometimes the case that per- 

 sons improving wild groves, having budded all 

 the trees and finding them too thickly set on the 

 ground, will sell those budded stumps at a fair 

 price. When this is the case a grove can be brought 

 into bearing in a short time. I have frequently 

 had such trees to fruit the same year of planting. 

 But this has been the case only where they have 

 been taken up with great care, with abundance of 

 root, and removed but a short distance. But even 

 where this early fruiting can be secured, the policy is 

 doubtful. The tree should not be taxed with efforts 

 to bear fruit so early after its removal and in its en- 

 feebled condition. It requires much greater effort 

 on the part of the tree to bear fruit than to produce 

 new wood. One of these budded sour stumps of 

 medium size, carefully taken up with good roots 

 and carefully cultivated, will begin the second year 

 to bear considerable fruit, if it has not been allowed 

 to fruit the year of planting. The third year such 



