PROPAGATION. 129 



may be exercised by the planter; the sections and blocks 

 should be distinct, and alleys should be located at conve- 

 nient distances, so that all parts may be easily accessible 

 with the wagon. The rows should be laid out straight, and 

 they ought to be far enough apart four feet might be 

 a good average for nursery trees; cuttings and seedlings 

 may, of course, be nearer. The trees should not be set 

 too closely in the rows, one foot apart is plenty close 

 enough for most kinds, and that is little enough room for 

 the development of good lateral branches, or for those 

 which have to remain three or four years before transplant- 

 ing. For peaches, for dwarf pears, and indeed for any of 

 the varieties that are to be taken from the nursery as 

 maiden trees, a less space may be allowed say eight inches 

 apart. Apple, stocks for budding, or for collar grafting, 

 may be set ten inches apart, and they will have room to 

 make very good plants, even should they remain until two 

 years old. 



Most nurserymen set out their apple grafts in the rows 

 where they are to be grown to full size, and cultivate them 

 from two to three years ; while this saves the trouble of 

 transplanting, the trees will not be as well assorted for 

 size, nor will they have the benefit of the transplanting, 

 (which will enhance their value much more than it costs, 

 in the improved character of their roots), as have those 

 that have been treated on the bedding plan, practiced by 

 some nurserymen. This consists in setting the root grafts 

 closely together, in a bed of very well prepared ground ; 

 they are covered at once with a good mulching of saw- 

 dust, which keeps the ground moist, and insures the 

 growth of almost all the plants, while for the first season 



