PRINCIPLES OF FRUIT PRODUCTION 431 



windbreak without first studying the problem from all angles. Often the 

 best windbreak is the outside row of fruit trees, especially if of a variety 

 that grows large and holds its fruit tenaciously. 



Nursery Stock is nowadays so low priced that no one should consider 

 growing his own trees. Fruit trees need special care as to propagation, and 

 also require too much time to grow T to orchard planting size; so when the 

 best standard varieties can be bought for thirty cents or less, why run the 

 risk of failure in growing one's own? In buying stock, it is wise to insist 

 upon getting straight, clean trees without Y-crotches, free from insects 

 and diseases, and in plump, robust condition wiien received. Under no 

 condition should fruit trees older than two years be considered. Peach 

 trees should never be over one year. Trees older than these do not produce 

 fruit sooner or make better orchard trees than young ones. Most commer- 

 cial fruit growers prefer one-year trees of all kinds because these can be 

 trained more easily than can older trees. The trees also make better 

 progress because they have not lost so many roots. 



Southern vs. Northern Grown Nursery Trees. — In the South "June 

 budded" trees are popular. There they may be planted in the fall; but 

 for northern fall planting they do not mature early enough to get a start 

 before winter sets in. Therefore, in the North they should be bought only 

 for spring setting. They are not inferior to northern trees when planted 

 in spring. 



Time to Plant. — Fall planting has decided advantages over spring 

 planting. There is a far better chance to get the varieties ordered because 

 nurserymen are not then sold out; if four or more w r eeks will elapse before 

 winter sets in, the trees may be planted and thus the work done when time 

 is not so precious- as in the spring; nurserymen usually charge somewhat 

 less for stock delivered in the autumn. Whether or not planting can be 

 done in the fall, it is a good plan to have the trees delivered before winter 

 so as to have them on hand for spring planting at just the proper time, thus 

 avoiding possible delays of shipment in spring. Such trees may be "heeled- 

 in" until spring. 



To Heel-in Trees dig or plow a trench a foot or more deep, preferably 

 running east and west. Make the north side vertical and the south with a 

 long slant. Unpack the trees, prune the mangled and broken roots, and 

 lay in the trench with their trunks on the slanting side. Bury both 

 roots and tops with soil packed around the roots. Remove all litter 

 that might favor mouse nests. In spring dig up and plant the trees as if 

 just received. 



Marking Out the Field. — This may be done by sighting, plowing or 

 any other handy way that will get the rows straight. For convenience in 

 handling it is a good plan in the home orchard to choose some unit measure 

 that will suit all kinds of fruits. The rod is perhaps as good as any because 

 peaches, sour cherries, plums, quinces, dwarf pears and apricots may be set 

 that distance apart. Sweet cherries, standard pears and the smaller 



