15 1) THE GENESEE FARMER. 6T 



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:inrtirultiiral Itjinrtintnt. 



CONDUCTED BY P. BARKY. 



TREE PLANTERS AND NURSERYMEN. 



There is one point about nursery trees, that gives rise occasionally to considerable dis- 

 cussion between the buyers and sellers, and it has occurred to us that it might be well 

 to offer a few remarks on. it at this time. We allude to the dissatisfaction and disap- 

 pointment that purchasers experience on receiving from the nursery trees of a somewhat 

 crooked or irregular growth, or of smaller size than they had expected. We are very 

 •well aware that it is not a little aggravating to receive trees of four feet in height, in- 

 stead of six or eight, as expected ; or to get them with stems curved and twisted in half 

 a dozen different ways, instead of being as straight as a gun barrel. To the amateur 

 who intends to make but a small plantation, and desires every tree to be a model, this 

 is particularly provoking ; and in his trouble, unless he be as patient as Job, he re- 

 proaches the poor nurseryman most severely. Now we are not about to plead the case 

 of the nurserymen ; they must take care of themselves. They are, we know very well, 

 often much to blame, and deserve reproach ; but they are not unfrequently censured 

 without good reason ; and if those who purchase trees would study beforehand the 

 characters of the varieties selected, as to growth, they would not so often be disap- 

 pointed. 



Now we will suppose, for instance, that Mr. A. orders from his nurseryman a dozen 

 apple trees, as follows : Early Joe, Summer Hose, American Suvimcr Fearmain, Fall 

 Fippin, Gravenstein, Forter, Baldwin, Fameuse, Northern Spy, Newtown Fippin, 

 Melon, and Fed Canada ; and that these trees are to be, we will say, three years old 

 from the bud or graft. We would find that the Gravenstein, Baldwin, Fall Fippin, 

 Fameuse, and Northern Spy, which are strong, rapid growers, are large, thrifty, beauti- 

 ful trees ; while the others, which are remarkably slow growers, are not more than half 

 as large, and will be pronounced small, scrubby, stunted things, not fit to be seen, much 

 less planted. A Baldwin, Gravenstein, or Northern Spg, will be larger in the same 

 soil and under the same culture, in three years than- a Red Canada or a Newtown Fip- 

 pin in five : and at any size, their stout shoots, straight trunk, and smooth clean bark, 

 are pleasing to the eye ; while the slender, twiggy, rough-barked trees, are just the 

 reverse. These considerations should be taken into account. The nurseryman is paid 

 no more for the slow growers than he is for the rapid growers, and it is not reasonable 

 to expect them so large or so vigorous looking. Then there are varieties, such as the 

 R. I. Greening and Fall Fippin, of irregular growth, with very seldom a straight stem, 

 that it is quite unreasonable to expect as symmetrical as a Baldwin or a Northern Spy. 



If we turn to pears, we find these remarks equally applicable. If Mr. A. will order 

 from his nurseryman the Bartlett, Seckel, Buffam, Duchess d' Angouleme, Marie Louise, 

 and Winter Nelis, he will find a marked and perhaps to him a very disagreeable con- 

 trast in their size and form. The Buffam and Duchess may be eight feet high, thrifty, 

 and smmoth as young willows ; the Bartleit not over five feet, and the Seckel four ; 

 w^hile the Marie Louise and Winter Nelis will not only be small, but twisted into the 

 most fantastic and untree-like shapes. Looking at the Buffam and the Duchess, he will 

 at once say, " Now these are what I call trees — just what I wanted ; but these," turn- 

 ing to poor Marie Louise and Winter Nelis, ^^ these are horrible." The nurseryman, 

 who perhaps searched up and down every row in his nursery to get the straightest and 

 best ones to please Mr. A., who is very nice, is sure to get not less than two pages of a 





