52 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIKTY. 



transplanted their trees at all, or when they did, they have set too 

 closely and the result has been a large percentage of dwarfed and 

 crooked trees. No good nurseryniau can aftord to lose from twenty 

 to twenty-five per cent in this or any otlicr direction. 



Pruning. 



To know how to prune is quite an art, that is, to understand the 

 best time of the year adapted to the age and condition of each tree, 

 and whether that tree is a seedling or a graft ; and the amount, not 

 too much nor too little, is quite an art, and it is something that must 

 be learned In- personal practice in the nursery. To sa^' that seed- 

 lings need but little or no pruning in the nursery is a mistake ; 

 undoubtedly they will not bear as much pruning as grafts. If all the 

 side branches and spurs were cut off when very young, the ti'ee 

 would probabl}' grow up too slender and willowy ; but, again, there 

 is danger, if not pruned at all, that some of the side branches will 

 develop too much and too low down, dwarfing the top and trunk 

 both. I have seen a good deal of this sort of work, or, rather, want 

 of work, and it is high time that a different method be adopted if 

 we are ever to have straight trees and of the proper height. 



Clean Culture. 

 Finall}', among the many things to be mentioned as necessarj', the 

 last but not least is clean culture. If a perfect nursery is to be es- 

 tablished, I don't believe in half-doing anything. Thorough work 

 and enough of it is the best doctrine. To let grass and weeds grow 

 rampant or have any influence whatever in the nurserv is a mistake. 

 Some may not agree with me, they ma}' claim that it should be kept 

 down somewhat in the earlier part of the season, but left to grow 

 later and serve as a protection or mulching to the roots of the trees 

 in the heat of summer and cold of winter. I answer, the tops of 

 the trees will shade the ground suflficientlj- in summer, and if the 

 land is well drained the snows will protect the roots during the 

 ■winter. In closing, let me say, that if all the conditions of our 

 soil and climate are faithfully observed and carried out, no one 

 need be discouraged or dismayed in attempting to pursue this branch 

 of husbandry, and, furthermore, our farmers and orchardists will not 

 be slow to appreciate such efforts and to give their patronage where 

 it rightfully belongs. 



