196 FRUIT FARMING 



CHAPTER XXV. 



LABELLING TREES AND NAMING FRUIT. 



Tallies attached to trees when first sent from a 

 nursery are soon lost : and many forms of permanent 

 labels are now in use. To our minds nothing is 

 better than to make a plan of the plantation, and 

 insert the names on the plan, as labels get loose and 

 are lost ; and on the other hand, the wire to which 

 they are attached, unless very frequently shifted, cuts into 

 the tree stems and forms a wound. On wall trees, we 

 have seen a good label made of lead, which has the 

 name in full punched on with steel letters ; this is 

 hung on the stems and secured by a gentle pressure, 

 the lead bending with the growth of the tree. If 

 labels like this were used, they could be hung on the 

 stakes in the earlier stages of the tree, and attached 

 to the branches afterwards. This labelling is most 

 important where trial trees are planted ; and if the 

 name is in full, much loss of time is avoided, as in 

 the case of numbers the reference books are not 

 always at hand, nor can the managing man always 

 be found when he is wanted. A plantation, properly 

 named, has a double interest and value. We think an 

 eyelet hole, similar to that used in a lace-up boot, 

 could be let into the lead, and in that case it could 

 be fastened to the stakes by a large-headed felt nail. 

 The Imperishable Labels made by Pinches are decidedly 

 the best, and are now in universal use. 



