28 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



on each side of this avenue a roAv of large trees, appaventlj- grow- 

 ing there for forty years. It seemed miraculous. But the next 

 vear, passing some time in the South of France, I was one day in 

 Marseilles, and the marvel was explained. The splendid Hotel de 

 Ville (City Hall) had just been completed, and it was desirable the 

 large square in front should be filled with trees. I watched the 

 operations with the greatest incerest. A tree more than thirty feet 

 hi"h was dug round, a diameter of say ten or twelve feet, and as 

 deep as the roots. It was then partially undermined, and plank put 

 under and at the sides. A peculiar carriage was then brought into 

 requisition. There were two large timbers, sa3' thirty feet long, 

 which rested at each end on a pair of low wheels. This was brought 

 wj to the tree, one timber removed till the carriage was in place, 

 and then it was replaced on the wheels and the tree stood between 

 the timbers. A tall derrick was then placed on the timbers, and 

 the tree raised in its box so as to clear the ground. Stays were 

 fastened from the top of the tree to each end of the timbers so as to 

 keep the tree upright. It was then drawn by a very strong team to 

 the place where it was to be planted. Previously a hole, a little 

 larger than the roots of the ti-ee had been dug. This hole was then 

 filled with good earth. The tree was drawn over this, the loose 

 earth all removed, the tree lowered into its place, the plank taken 

 out. and the hole filled up. After this a large hole was dug on each 

 side of the tree and these were filled with good earth. Seeing these 

 ti'ees afterward one could scared}' believe the}' had been so recently 

 planted. 



Keturning to apple trees, I wish to say a word about the general 

 mistake of planting too great a variety. This is the point which has 

 of late been frequently touched upon, but such is the temptation to 

 produce a large variety at the annual exhibition, or to try a new 

 variety recommended by fruit tree dealers, that it is well to reiterate 

 its great disadvantages. I trust that our Society will never again 

 give a premium for the greatest variety of apples. I once had over 

 fifty kinds but am reducing the number as fast as possible. Last 

 3'ear I cut down a large^tree, a New York Russet, which always bore 

 several barrels of apples, to reduce the number of mv varieties. It 

 is very well for those who have leisure and taste to experiment with 

 new varities, and we may sometimes in this way obtain a valuable 

 addition to our standards, but for one who desires to raise npples 

 for the market, beside a few summer, autumn and winter for faniil}' 



