First-class Stock. 231 
varieties which the planters want — those for which 
there is a demand. As a matter of fact, he largely 
forees the demand by magnifying the value of those 
varieties which are good growers in the nursery. 
The nurseryman’s business ends with the growing 
of the young tree, and the tree which makes the 
straightest, most rapid and cleanest growth is the one 
which finds the readiest sale. Now, it by no means 
follows that the variety which is the cheapest and 
best for the nurseryman to grow is the best for the 
fruit-grower. Probably every apple-grower is now 
ready to admit that the Baldwin has been too much 
planted, whilst Canada Red and various other varie- 
ties which are poor growers in the nursery row have 
been too little planted. 
“The blame for this condition of things does not 
rest wholly with the nurseryman, although it is 
partly lis fault. The original difficulty lies in the 
fact, it seems to me, that our conception, and con- 
sequently our definition, of what constitutes a first- 
class tree is at variance with the truth. We con- 
ceive a first-class nursery tree to be one which grows 
straight and smooth, tall and stocky, whilst we know 
that very mauy — perhaps half—the varieties of apples 
and pears and plums will not grow that way. In 
order to make our conception true, we grow those 
varieties which will satisfy the definition, and, as a 
result, there is a constant tendency to elminate 
from our lists some of the best and most profitable 
varieties. 
“All this could be remedied if people were to be 
