The First-class Tree 165 



planters want those for which there is a demand. In 

 fact, however, he largely forces the demand by magnify- 

 ing the value of varieties that are good growers in the 

 nursery. The nurseryman's business ends with the grow- 

 ing of the young tree, and the tree that makes the straight- 

 est, most rapid and cleanest growth is the one that finds 

 the readiest sale. But it by no means follows that the 

 variety which is the cheapest and best for the nurseryman 

 to grow is the best for the fruit-grower to plant. Probably 

 every apple-grower is now ready to admit that the Bald- 

 win has been too much planted, while Canada Red and 

 various other varieties that are poor growers in the 

 nursery-row have been too little planted. 



The blame for this condition of things does not rest 

 wholly with the nurseryman. The difficulty lies in the 

 fact that our conception, and, consequently our definition, 

 of what constitutes a first-class tree is at variance with the 

 truth. We conceive a first-class nursery tree to be one that 

 grows straight and smooth, tall and stocky, whereas we 

 know that very many perhaps half the varieties of 

 apples and pears and plums will not grow that way. In 

 order to make our conception true, we grow those varieties 

 that satisfy the definition, and, as a result, there is a con- 

 stant tendency to eliminate from our lists some of the best 

 and most profitable varieties. 



All this could be remedied if growers were to be taught 

 that varieties of fruit-trees may be just as different and 

 distinct in habit of growth as they are in kind of fruit, and 

 that a first-class tree is a well-grown specimen that has the 

 characteristics of the variety. A tree may be first-class 

 and yet be crooked and slender, if it is the habit of the 

 particular variety to grow that way. The emphasis should 

 be placed on health and vigor, and not on mere shape and 



