CERTAIN ELEMENTS IN NURSERY PRACTICE 187 



to rub off these new shoots that appear on the body, allowing 



only those shoots to remain that spring from near the top of 



the trunk, and which are presumed to form the top of the 



future tree. This rubbing off the side shoots early in the 



second season is generally to be condemned. It tends to 



make the tree grow top-heavy, 



whilst the body remains spindling 



and weak. Usually a better plan is 



to allow the shoots to remain until 



July or early August, when they are 



cut off close to the trunk. The 



wounds then heal over, or nearly so, 



by fall, and the tree will have grown 



strong and stocky. 



The tendency at present is to FlG * 

 start the heads of fruit-trees much 

 lower than formerly. Trees carried over to two years in the 

 nursery are usually not headed higher than 24 to 28 inches. 



The storing of trees 



Trees are harvested mostly in autumn. The grower stores 

 them for easy access in winter and spring and to avoid the 

 spring rush. The grower likes to order his stock in autumn, 

 that he may be sure of receiving it, have it on hand when he 

 is ready to plant, and get his choice of varieties and grades. 



If the purchaser is not ready to plant in autumn, he stores 

 the stock over winter by heeling it in (Fig. 206) . When heeling- 

 in trees in the open for the winter, care should be exercised to 

 choose a well-drained and protected place. The roots are 

 placed in furrows and covered, and the tops are laid down 

 almost horizontal. Another row is lapped over the first, much 

 as shingles are lapped over each other. Loose straw or litter 

 should be removed or tramped down, else mice may nest in it 



