FRUIT-GARDEN FORETHOUGHT 



Fifth, choose varieties that are known to be self-fertile, or, in 

 choosing self-sterile sorts, make sure that opportunity for inter- 

 pollination is provided for. The nurseryman must help in this choice, 

 having the knowledge, and he will gladly use it for the planter. 



Sixth, for trying locations, such as niggardly soils or churlish 

 climates, select the more vigorous varieties that the plant's internal 

 push may offset as far as possible unfavorable environment. 



Seventh, choose special-purpose rather than general-purpose 

 varieties. 



Eighth, try a few novelties. Novelty, in horticulture, is the great 

 parent of pleasure. 



Ninth, if spraying is impossible, select varieties immune to the 

 most destructive pests. Thus, the Baldwin and Winesap are free 

 from apple-blight; apple-scab seldom attacks Ben Davis; pear- 

 blight does little damage to Kieffer and Seckel; Early Crawford 

 is nearly free from peach-leaf curl; San Jose scale never attacks 

 the Montmorency cherry and seldom the Bradshaw plum. Lists of 

 varieties immune to the various pests can be had from state experi- 

 ment stations, and most nurserymen also are well informed. 



When the bud is in the bough and the leaf is in the 

 bud it is difBcult to tell a good tree from a poor one. 

 Tree-buying is a 



Buying 



Dependable 



Trees 



case of "trust me 

 not at all or all in all." The 

 greatest assurance for depend- 

 able trees, then, is the dependable 

 nurseryman. Still, trees have 

 certain earmarks that commend 

 them or condemn them to good 

 gardeners. 



Thus, a short, stocky plant 

 is usually better than a tall, 

 spindling one. A tree with many 

 branches is better than one with 

 a few branches. Plants with 

 much-branched roots are better 

 than those with a scanty root- 

 system. A tree with smooth, 

 bright bark is better than one 

 with rough, dull bark. Neither 



Good trees as they come from the nursery 



11 



