156 The Connecticut Pomological Society 



shy bearer, but you can't tell about that. They may be shy 

 to-day, and just as like as not two years from to-day they will 

 be covered with buds. Some think that of the Wickson, but 

 the Wickson is not going to be a shy bearer in my opinion. I 

 recommend that for this reason; not only for home use, but 

 many of you have local markets where it will sell all right. It is 

 not a good seller in the open market, though. It is a fair- 

 looking plum, and large enough, and if you grow it for j'our 

 local market, and let the people get used to it, and know what 

 that plum is, there is an opportunity for you. So" much for the 

 variety part of the subject. 



I want to allude to the other part of the question, to 

 the selection of the tree, etc. First, I allude to the size of the 

 tree. I want a one-year-old tree thrifty and small. That is my 

 favorite. That is what I try to get. That will apply to 

 peaches. It will apply to much of the other fruit. Brother 

 Hale thinks he has learned better than that, and he is advocat- 

 ing a big tree now. I have had a good bit of experience, and 

 give me the small tree. By the way, I am not a plum specialist 

 as he is a peach specialist. Just to illustrate what a little tree 

 will do: I wanted six hundred trees. I went to a nurseryman, 

 and I said: "What have you got?" "Well," he said, "I have 

 about four hundred of all sizes, from very small to big ones." 

 "Well," I said, "I'll take them." I did, and I planted them 

 right together, the little and the big ones right in together. 

 That orchard is standing to-day, and the little trees when they 

 were three years old had caught the big ones, and to-day those 

 little trees are ahead of them. Now there are several points 

 gained by doing that. In the first place, with the little tree, you 

 first get it for less money. Eh, Brother Hale? Isn't that the 

 milk in the cocoanut? Brother Hale is looking for that dollar 

 the same as I am, and we want to get it quick, but I can see 

 the other side of it. I am not such a fool that I am going to set 

 trees that I am losing on in the end after I have learned the 

 lesson two or three .times. So my opinion is that you better plant 

 a small tree. You save money on the start. Another thing is, 

 by planting a small tree you can keep it under better control, 

 and it will make you a better tree, and be a better looking tree, 

 and come to a bearing age just as quick. I will take a little 



