82 Fruit-growing in Arid Regions 



growers, are careless in handling trees before they are 

 planted. Not infrequently the roots are exposed for 

 hours to the drying action of wind and sun. One must 

 take the chances of such treatment from the nurserymen, 

 but after the trees have been received by the grower, there 

 is no excuse for neglect in this respect. The trees should 

 be heeled-in deeply at once in damp soil, and when plant- 

 ing, the work should be so arranged that the roots of each 

 tree shall be exposed to the air the shortest possible time. 



All bruised and torn roots should be carefully removed 

 and cut back to healthy tissue, leaving smoothly cut ends 

 that will readily heal; if this is not done, decay is likely to 

 set in, which may seriously injure the tree. Long, strag- 

 gling roots may well be shortened, and any tangled mass 

 of fine roots should be shortened and thinned. 



It would seem to be almost superfluous to insist on the 

 importance of having all nursery stock inspected by the 

 county inspectors, yet there are persons who try each 

 year to evade the law in this respect. There are several 

 insect pests and plant diseases which are very common 

 on young trees, all of which may be easily overlooked by 

 any one who is not thoroughly familiar with them. It is 

 quite useless to spend much effort in pruning and caring 

 for diseased trees. 



The woolly aphis is such an insect, and it is doing a great 

 amount of damage in all sections. This insect lives on the 

 roots, and is introduced into orchards almost wholly by 

 infected nursery stock. When once established, it spreads 

 rapidly and is almost impossible to eradicate. 



Crown-gall is a common disease in many nurseries, 

 and it attacks all kinds of fruit trees. It is the worst kind 



