APPLES 



135 



suits when diluted with not more than 

 eight parts of water. The miscible oils, 

 of which there are many brands on the 

 market, are well adapted to the dipping 

 of the nursery stock. They should be 

 diluted with about 15 parts of water. The 

 only precaution necessary regarding the 

 use of these oils is to shake up the 

 supply of oil thoroughly before drawing 

 any off and to make sure that it com- 

 pletely mixes with the water. A few 

 drops in a glass of water should produce 

 a milk-like solution, without any free oil 

 on the surface. Miscible oil. on account 

 of its spreading action, is more likely to 

 reach the insects that may be in protected 

 positions. 



The only thing necessary in the way of 

 equipment for dipping is a tank deep 

 enough to accommodate the young trees 

 after pruning. A tank four feet deep, If 

 kept well filled with the mixture, will an- 

 swer the purpose. The trees are simply 

 lowered into the bath, tops first, as far 

 as the roots. They are then immediately 

 withdrawn and the operation repeated. 

 They are not allowed to remain in the 

 liquid longer than is necessary to com- 

 pletely coat their surfaces with the mix- 

 ture. A limited number of experiments 

 with miscible oil suggests that the roots 

 may also be dipped. Such a procedure is 

 not recommended, however, unless the 

 roots are infested with woolly aphis. 

 C. D. Jarvis. 

 Storrs. Conn. 



Selecting Stock 



After the tree has been successfully 

 grown in the nursery the next step is 

 naturally that of transferring it to its 

 permanent place in the orchard. To the 

 man, however, who must select his stock 

 from some nursery not his own, there are 

 several questions of importance. 



Selecting the individual trees to be 

 planted requires some little thought, as 

 oftentimes we lose a whole year by choos- 

 ing poor and inferior trees. Care should 

 be taken to secure first class trees of the 

 proper type for each of the varieties se- 

 lected and trees that are well grown, vig- 

 orous, and free from diseases or blemishes. 

 The ideal tree of most planters is one 

 that is straight and smooth. The tree 



may be straight and smooth or it may be 

 crooked and gnarly. All this depends up- 

 on the variety. Because a tree is crooked 

 is not a sign that it is a poor specimen. 

 That may be a characteristic of that va- 

 riety. Some of the best varieties have 

 crooked stems or ugly tops, Many plant- 

 ers think that large size is of itself a 

 great merit in a nursery tree. This is not 

 always true. Vigor and stockiness are 

 more important than large size. Buy first 

 class, shapely, and well grown trees that 

 have abundance of roots, free from such 

 diseases as the crown gall or blackknot. 

 In many states buyers require the nursery- 

 men from whom they buy to give them a 

 guarantee that the trees are free from all 

 injurious insects and diseases. This rule 

 ought to be adopted. While such a guar- 

 antee does not absolutely prevent a tree 

 from being infested with insects or dis- 

 eases it lessens the probabilities of their 

 being so Infested. 



Place to Buy Trees 



(1) "Where can I buy fruit trees?" and 

 "Do fruit trees from the North, South, 

 East or West do best in this climate?" are 

 questions frequently asked by orchardists. 

 The question of the source of the tree is 

 one which attracts considerable attention 

 and bears some relation to the planter's 

 local conditions, but is one which cannot 

 always be definitely answered. It in- 

 volves a number of things such as the 

 manner of growing the nursery stock, the 

 distance to be shipped, the way the trees 

 are packed when shipped, and the treat- 

 ment of the trees when received. Appar- 

 ently there seems to be no material differ- 

 enc in the growth of the trees on account 

 of their source, if the trees have been 

 well grown, well packed, well taken care 

 of, and well started when they are re- 

 ceived. As a rule, however. If all of 

 these conditions be equal the home grown 

 trees or those grown nearest you are to 

 be preferred. 



(21 There are several reasons why it 

 is usually advisable to patronize local 

 nurserymen. They generally handle the 

 varieties that are best adapted to local 

 conditions. But if the local dealers have 

 not the required varieties in stock, or if 



