CHAPTER VIII 



PLANTING 



AT what age should a tree be planted into its permanent position ? 

 That is one of the simplest of questions, but not so easy to answer. 

 It is a very controversial subject, upon which experts will, we think, 

 never agree, which appeals different ways to different minds, and 

 upon which no sane writer would permit himself to dogmatize. 

 In examining the opinions and arguments of others, we can do so 

 without feeling any particularly burning desire to controvert them. 

 We can also state our own opinions and the reasons for them, 

 still open to be convinced otherwise, and these we can leave in the 

 hands of those interested, admitting candidly that we respect much 

 of what can be urged against them. In short, we refuse to be 

 dogmatic. How can we be when even in practice we allow circum- 

 stances to count, and do not bind ourselves to any hard and fast 

 rule? 



Shall we plant out the maidens ? Those who think we should, 

 and who do it themselves, hold that the check in transplanting 

 maidens is considerably less, and less felt, than with older trees ; 

 and further, that they have the making and the shaping of the trees 

 in their own hands. No one will have the hardihood to gainsay 

 them. At the other extreme are growers who prefer to plant four 

 year or five year trees that is, trees of a fruit-bearing age, because 

 they are not placed under the necessity of waiting several years 

 without getting any return for their outlay. 



We see the force of the argument, but cannot adopt it for our 

 own ; for this, examined closely, is more a matter of temperament 

 than anything else and is not solely concerned with the future of 

 the tree. Others there are, again, who pin their faith to the two- 

 year-old trees as the best and most economical to plant, and we 

 can go a very long way with those who hold this view. We confess 

 to a partiality for two year trees because the root-system is more 

 developed than that of the maidens, without being so far advanced 

 as to suffer in transplanting ; and, in addition, they give a clearer 

 indication as to whether they will form the kind of tree we require. 



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