Age of Nursery Stock 167 



ties are new and scarce, it may be economy to buy very 

 young stock. Some of the freer-growing apples and pears 

 are large enough when two years old, if grown from buds; 

 but these fruits are usually set at three years from the 

 bud or graft. Dwarf pears may be set at two or three 

 years, preferably at the former age. Quinces are set at 

 two and three years. Peaches are set at one year from 

 the bud; plums and cherries at two and three years. 

 Strawberries are set only from new plants (that is, those 

 that have not borne); gooseberries and currants prefera- 

 bly from two-year stock; raspberries and blackberries 

 from stock not more than one season old; grapes one and 

 two years, preferably the latter. 



One does not save time, in serious orchard work, by 

 buying very large and old trees. It is best to depend on 

 the standard sizes and ages of good commercial stock. 



Dwarfs vs. standards. 



Whether standard or dwarf trees are the better to 

 plant, is a personal problem, and cannot be answered 

 for another any more than the question as to 

 whether peaches are more desirable than plums. Dwarf 

 apples and dwarf pears are of a different type of fruit- 

 growing from the standards, or free stocks, and the 

 intending grower must weigh the evidence for and 

 against as best he can. As a general thing, the stan- 

 dards are the safer and more reliable; but persons who are 

 willing and competent to give the extra care that dwarfs 

 need, who have the proper location, and who have access 

 to extra-good markets, may often grow the dwarfs with 

 profit. 



The growing of dwarfs is a special practice. The only 

 fruits that have regular commercial standing in this 



