54 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



inclined to produce suckers than trees growing from the seeds. In 

 regard to the hardiness of the stock. I believe if it is a good prac- 

 tice to leave those spurs on the seedling stock, it is equalh' good to 

 leave tliem on the grafted tree. They may he shortened, but ought 

 not to be removed all at once. When you buy trees from a nur- 

 sery, whei-e the side limbs have been cut oft all at once, you will 

 find many suckers growing. It is good practice, then, to leave them 

 on that part of the tree which is to form the permanent ti'unk, and 

 when you have planted the tree where you want it to grow, to 

 shorten them gradually. I have never had any dilficulty by simply 

 controlling the side growth, but I have not made it a rule to cut off 

 the whole until I have got the tree where I want to form a perma- 

 nent top. I do not see why the same practice is not required in one 

 tree as another. I believe that with proper care, of course employ- 

 ing the conditions which Mr. Atherton has so well described as 

 requisite, as to the soil, and as to the character and vigor of the 

 tree itself, there is no difhculty in raising trees. 



I have found it necessary every year to cut away some of the 

 lowest limbs. It seems there is no harm in doing so ; but I insist 

 that the tree must have protection from the sun and wind. ]t was 

 said in the discussion on the cracking of the bark, that the natural 

 condition of a tree is a condition of protection. I believe that the 

 tree needs protection in every stage of its growth, instead of expos- 

 ure. Your young tree, if trimmed up, has not that protection ; and 

 until it can endure exposure and is of good size and growth, it must 

 have protection. 



Our friend, Mr. Frost of Monrnonth, raises figs successfully 

 every year, but there is no profit in it. He takes his trees up in the 

 fall and carries them into the cellar, just as Mr. Sharp does his 

 apple trees, but we cannot take our orchard trees in for the winter ; 

 we have to leave them standing. I do not believe it is necessary 

 to wait till a tree has become large and formed its top, before graft- 

 ing. I believe you can graft it lower down, and it will grow and 

 form a continuation of the oi'iginal stock. There was a time in 

 1855, or thereabouts, when the Baldwins were injured very much 

 throughout the State of Maine, and so, from that day to this, it has 

 been said that the Baldwins were tender ; but you may as well say 

 that the white maple is tender, because you don't bring up a cord of 

 wood to your door without finding a black streak in the wood. We 

 have thousands and thousands of Baldwins that have survived the 



