BUYING THE PLANTS 53 



fatal. Leaves must not be clipped or pulled, but allowed to fall 

 naturally before the trees are dug. Another objection to Fall planting 

 is that the roots may not get a good hold on the soil before Winter 

 sets in. But where at least three weeks open weather can be counted 

 upon before Winter this objection has little weight. Trees received in 

 Fall but too late for planting may be heeled in as shown in Figure 27. 



As to advantages in favor of Spring planting, the trees if freshly 

 dug should be in prime condition. They certainly will not be as 

 subject to Winter injury as Fall set trees the first Winter after setting. 

 Against this advantage are the disadvantages noted above and the 

 probability that planting will be delayed until too late to secure 

 favorable conditions of growth. 



I have always had excellent success in Fall planting fully matured 

 fruit-trees, Currants and Gooseberries. Raspberries and their kin I have 

 never planted in the Fall because a neighbor's experience with that 

 practice taught me the lesson not to do it. He lost from 15 to 100 per 

 cent, of the various varieties Fall planted. I know some growers favor 

 planting Blackberries and Red Raspberries in the Fall, but not Dew- 

 berries or Black Raspberries. It is safer, in my opinion, to wait 

 until Spring for all of them. 



The best size and grade of trees to buy is always the medium one, 

 four feet for a one-year, and five to six feet for two-year trees. It is as 

 important to avoid the burly, overgrown ones as the runts. Both are 

 likely to make inferior trees after transplanting. 



The price to pay should always be a liberal one the one a first- 

 class nurseryman should get for first-class stock. Nothing is to be 

 gained and much may be lost by hunting up cheap stock. It is 

 usually better to deal direct with a first-class nursery or with its duly 

 certified, preferably resident agent than with the itinerant tree pedlar. 

 While the former often ask high prices their reputation for square 

 dealing is at stake, whereas the latter has nothing to lose. It is well 

 to have several catalogs to choose among because certain nurseries 

 offer better stock or better prices on certain specialties. 



Order early the earlier the better. One of the surest ways 

 to court disappointment is to make delays, for thereby the desired 

 varieties may have been "sold out," none but older trees, larger or 

 smaller sizes may be left, the nurseryman will probably be so swamped 

 with orders that late ones cannot be reached while planting conditions 

 are favorable, there may also be delays in transportation, etc. There- 

 fore, be warned ! Order early ! Were it not for the fact that nurseries 

 are swamped with orders at the last minute, this suggestion would 

 seem superfluous. The nursery will hold your shipment till the proper 

 time to ship. 



