HORTICULTURE 65 



are able to get these items in the order with the result that if the 

 nurseryman values your future orders, you will usually get better 

 stock because he knows exactly what you consider first class stock. In 

 the other case, he would have no idea concerning your preferences. 



State Character of the Trees Desired. As has been suggested 

 above, this is one of the most important essentials in ordering stock. 

 It is not necessary to state the definite size of tree but it is very im- 

 portant to give the age. The order should read about as follows: 

 ' 'Trees to be two years old, typical of the variety, and of good size 

 for the age ; heads to be not over 24 inches high (somewhat higher in 

 spreading varieties), four to six well distributed branches and free 

 from disease or serious blemish." 



When such an order is given, refuse goods which are not up to 

 the standard. It is a waste of time and money to set inferior trees 

 and attempt to make them desirable later on. This usually results 

 in putting up with an inferior tree and very frequently, in commer- 

 cial planting, of the removal and replacing of the tree later on. If 

 you make it sufficiently clear in your order that nothing but first 

 class trees will be accepted, there is usually very little difficulty over 

 inferior stock. 



Refuse Substitutions. Nearly every nurseryman retains the 

 right of substitution on his regular order. When you sign the order 

 blank presented by the nursery agent, you endorse a clause essentially 

 as follows : "In case the supply of any variety has been exhausted, 

 we retain the right to substitute a similar variety of our choosing." 

 In ordering from the agent, be sure that on your order there appears 

 "No substitution allowed." If this is done, no dispute can arise 

 over substituted stock. In ordering directly it is not usually neces- 

 sary to make this statement, but it does no harm and is a wise pre- 

 caution. 



Keep a Copy of the Order. While a mere detail, keeping a copy 

 of the original order is important as it often saves disputes and fre- 

 quently more serious trouble. 



Be Willing to Pay a Good Price. It is a very serious mistake 

 to try to cut the cost of trees too much. Cheap trees are usually 

 poor trees. It is not necessary to pay exorbitant prices in order to 

 get good trees, but it is better to pay exorbitant prices and get good 

 trees than to buy poor trees at cut rates. The original cost of the tree 

 is of minor importance to its ultimate value. Ten or even 25 cents 

 saved at the start by buying an inferior tree is usually expended 

 several times later on in trying to make a good tree out of a cull, and 

 usually with very little success. Ten cents per tree increase in cost 

 is only about $7.00 an acre, and very often means the difference 

 between success and failure. Paying a high price for a tree does 

 not necessarily mean that it will be a good one. Pay enough to get 

 the best and then refuse any which do not come up to the standard. 



Another item which increases the cost is replacing stock. The 

 general practice of Wisconsin nurserymen is to replace stock which 

 dies the first season. In order to do this they add considerable to 

 the real price of the tree in order that nothing will be lost by re- 



