THE GENESEE FAEMER. 



31d 



TEANSPLANTING SMALL TKEES. 



It has been a very general, almost universal, de- 

 sire among tree-planters, to have large-sized trees 

 from the nursery. One person about to set out an 

 orchard, wrote, "Send me man trees. I do not 

 want puny little children — but large, full-grown 

 specimens." Another said, "I want the largest 

 ti'ees you have — I don't care much what kind they 

 are — but give me tall ones — if a rod high, all the 

 better." " But," the nurseryman replied, "smaller 

 ones will be better in live years than these." "I 

 don't care, I want big ones ; I may not live five 

 years, and I want fruit now.'''' Three or four years 

 after, the same planter called again. Without 

 waiting for an inquiry, the nurseryman immediate- 

 ly remarked, " Well, I have some fine large trees 

 which I can furnish." "Don't want 'em!" don't 

 want 'em ! " was the answer. " I've had enough 

 of large trees — they have cost me ten times as 

 much labor to set out as the small ones I took from 

 necessity. They have not grown one inch — are 

 just the same size I bought them, although I have 

 doctored them and nursed them, and they have 

 borne me only a very few of half-grown worthless 

 fruit. The small trees have already outstripped 

 them, and they have begun to bear large, excellent 

 epecimens." 



These experiments have now become so numer- 

 ous, that a change in the opinion of planters has 

 generally taken place, in relation to the size of 

 trees. Where twelve feet were formerly demanded 

 as a desirable height, five or six feet are now quite 

 as satisfactory, and some find still smaller ones to 

 do better. At a meeting of the Fruit Growers' 

 Society of Western New York, held at Eochester 

 a year ago, this subject was fully discussed, and 

 none, who had ever tried the experiment with 

 large and small trees side by side, could be found 

 who preferred the former. Many instances were 

 related, and in every case, without exception, 

 (good culture being given,) the small trees soon 

 outgrew the others, and were not only larger, but 

 incomparably more vigorous and thrifty. Two- 

 year apple trees and one-year peach trees were 

 preferred by some of the best cultivators present, 

 to any of larger dimensions. And in addition to 

 these advantages, the smaller trees are almost sure 

 to survive transplanting, with scarcely a loss of 

 one in a thousand ; while the extra large ones, the 

 roots of which must be greatly mutilated in re- 

 moval, die by scores. The labor of digging up the 

 large trees, the cost of transportation on them, and 

 the cost of resetting them, are all several times 

 greater than with smaller ones. Where they are 

 to be sent some distance by railroad, the increased 

 cost of conveyance, as well as in risk, and in pack- 

 ing, is greater than a hasty observer can have any 

 idea of. A tree, for example, which is twice the 

 height and diameter of another, is greater in 

 weight in a cubic ratio. If a hundred of the small- 

 er weigh two hundred pounds, one hundred of the 

 larger will weigh eight hundred pounds, or nearly 

 half a ton — the cube of two being eight. A single 

 season's growth will often make this difference in 

 the nursery — but many years, after being checked 

 by removal when large. There seems, indeed, to 

 be every reason why trees should be removed 

 small, and every thing against the practice of leav- 

 ing the work tiU they attain large size. Su' Joshua 



Eetnolds said if he were to paint a picture of 

 Folly, it would be by representing a boy cHmbing 

 over a high wall with an open gate close at his 

 side. Had he lived now, he might do it Avith equal 

 effect, by representing a purchaser selecting larg« 

 trees at a nursery, and rejecting the young thrifty 

 ones. 



There is only one instance in which the larger 

 trees can have any advantage, or can maintain it 

 for two or three years; and this is where both 

 large and small are treated with total neglect after 

 setting out, so as barely to survive and not to grow 

 at all. Both remaining stationary, the larger ones 

 will of course maintain their superiority. But all 

 good cultivators discard such treatment. 



The practice of copying English customs, has in 

 this case had an especially pernicious effect. In 

 Britain, the moist climate favors the removal of 

 larger trees than can be safely transplanted here. 

 The experiments of Sir Henry Stewart, in Scot- 

 land, in manufacturing a park of trees to order, 

 thirty or forty feet high, and the publication of a 

 work giving the details of his experiment, have 

 done a great deal of harm. The park, after the 

 first year or two, presented a very shabby, thrift- 

 less, and stunted appearance ; but even while this 

 practice was at the height of its popularity, that 

 far-seeing and skillful culturist, J. 0. Loudon, as- 

 serted that with five years' time and with deeply 

 trenched land, he would agree to produce a finer 

 effect with small trees, subjected to the best treat- 

 ment, than any that could possibly be accomplished 

 by the removal of large ones at the same time. — 

 Country Gentleman. 



FRUIT STEALING. 



On this subject I can hardly compose my mind 

 sufficiently to be candid. The fruit-stealer is, in 

 my mind, so mean, that though I hate him intense- 

 ly, I can not but pity him, both for his meanness 

 and his folly. He is mean, because he appropriates 

 the labor of others to his own selfish purposes ; and 

 he is foolish, because there can be little enjoyment 

 in the eating of fruit obtained in this manner. 



The fruit-stealer does not steal for his family; 

 fruit is not the food sought for by the starving. 

 The fruit he takes is of my own raising, and he 

 knows that I value it above the market value for 

 that reason, and that it can not be replaced from 

 the market. It may have been the result of years 

 of care and expectation, and its exhibition might 

 win for me honors and profits. What cares he ? 

 He has no pity, no principle, no conscience, no 

 honor, no soul. There is but one meaner man 

 than he, and that is the man who cuts down fruit 

 trees in the dark, girdles and mutilates ornamental 

 trees and shrubs, and tramples on flowers. ^ 



I AM convinced that fruit stealing may in part b« 

 prevented. Parents are somewhat to blame, in 

 allowing their children to be in want of as tempt- 

 ing, delicious, and wholesome a thing as fruit. 

 When every man can, by a little exertion, sit under 

 his own vine and fruit tree, and his children ever 

 be at liberty to pluck the tempting fruit and satisfy 

 their craving appetites, then shall we see a genera- 

 tion that will despise the thought of stealing fruit, 

 in as much as necessity never taught them its 

 wants. P. — Clarendon^ A^^. Y. 



