GRADES OF TREES SALES METHOD 143 



Grades of Trees. The term grade as applied to nur- 

 sery trees is somewhat of a misnomer as it infers that some 

 trees are better than others. What is really meant, is 

 classes into which the trees are divided according to their 

 size or caliper. Most grades are based on the height of 

 the trees although some few companies also list the trunk 

 diameter. It should not be inferred that a number one 

 tree or a first-grade tree is the best to buy for orchard work. 

 It often happens that this grade represents oversized trees 

 which may be less desirable than the number twos or 

 second-grade trees. 



Most nursery companies list four grades or sizes of trees. 

 Three of these usually represent stock two years from 

 buds while the fourth is only one year's growth. A fair 

 average of the different companies would represent a classi- 

 fication about as follows: 



Grade 1 or Class 1 or X, 2 years from bud; 5 to 6 feet. 



" 2 " 2 " XX, 2 " 4 to 5 " 



" 3 " 3 " XXX, 2 " 3 to 4 " 



4 4 " XXXX, 1 3 to 4 " 



Sales Methods. Nursery companies that have to 

 dispose of from one to two million trees annually have to 

 develop a particularly strong sales force. There are but 

 three channels through which the bulk of the stock reaches 

 the orchardist. The oldest and probably the most common 

 is through agents scattered over the various fruit sections. 

 The second is the direct selling to the grower through the 

 medium of the catalogue or what may be called a -mail- 

 order business. The third is the wholesaling to the jobbers 



