SPRING AND FALL PLANTING. 39 



winter and spring winds before growth commences. 

 This, of course, would be a serious objection, if the 

 trees were planted carelessly, and left unprotected 

 until the following spring. The swaying of the top 

 backward and forward would, without doubt, injure 

 the roots. But in every case, the trees should be 

 carefully planted and pruned, or cut back at once. 

 Then there is little to be feared from the injurious 

 effects of the wind, on trees planted in the fall. 



In our pear orchard of several thousand trees, 

 about one-half was set out in the fall, and the other 

 in the spring, and, except in a few cases, there is little 

 noticeable difference. My rule is, to begin work just 

 as soon as the ground is in readiness. Five years 

 ago, I selected sixty trees, and planted one row 

 (thirty) in the fall, the balance in another row, in 

 the spring, for the purpose of experimenting and 

 convincing myself if there would be any difference 

 in the growth of the trees, provided the condition of 

 soil and the trees were alike. Since then, both of 

 these rows have had the same treatment, receiving 



' O 



the same kind and quantity of manure, and being 

 pruned at the same season. The first season, the 

 row planted in the fall was ahead, the young wood 

 was stronger and the general appearance better. 

 But the second year, the spring row caught up, and 

 there is no perceptible difference to-day in the state 



