104 Lifting Trees from Nursery. 
enough to indicate a good, free growth. The matter of size is 
not the only point to consider, for size of the top is not so de- 
sirable as well-matured wood and plenty of roots. On the other 
hand, stunted trees are not, as a rule, worth planting, for a 
stunted tree, like a stunted calf, does not make a good after- 
growth. There are cases, however, in which, by extra cultiva- 
tion in good soil, fine trees have been grown even from “culls” 
from the nursery. The best rule is to select trees of good me- 
dium size, straight and healthy. In judging size, however, one 
must take California and not Eastern standards, because our 
nursery stock, if well grown, invariably is of much greater size 
than Eastern. Ask to see samples of the roots as well as the 
tops and do not purchase trees unless the roots are healthy 
looking and free from knots or excrescences. Gnarly and 
knotty roots in the young tree are a sure sign of insect pests 
or of unhealthy growth, and planting such trees has occasioned 
our orchardists immense loss. Many have been led into pur- 
chasing poor trees because they may be had cheap. A tree 
selected merely because it is cheap may prove the most expen- 
sive thing a man can put in the ground. 
Guarding against Insects—The top of the tree should be 
carefully examined to discover scale insects if there be any. For 
this purpose a hand-magnifier should be used. Such a glass 
should always be in the fruit grower’s pocket. One can be 
bought at any optician’s for a dollar or two, which will fold into 
its case so as to be carried without scratching. Our nursery- 
men, by forsaking old infested locations and obtaining new 
ground, now sell much cleaner trees than they did a few years 
ago. But still it is well to be always on the watch for pests. 
Disinfection of nursery stock is now officially provided. Details 
of treatment will be given in the chapter on injurious insects. 
TAKING TREES FROM THE NURSERY. 
Trees should be carefully taken from the nursery rows so as 
to obtain a good amount of small branching roots. In lifting 
from the home nursery, digging with well-sharpened spades, 
which will sever the long roots cleanly, is perhaps the best 
method. In the large nurseries the newly-invented tree-diggers 
are generally used. They have two revolving coulters, which 
cut through the surface soil each side of the trees, and a sharp, 
curved blade, which is drawn through the ground under the 
trees, loosening the soil and severing the long roots cleanly. 
The tree is then easily lifted, and has generally a much better 
root system than by the old style of “ploughing out,’ which 
broke off so many of the fibrous roots and lacerated the larger 
ones. Whether the taproot should be retained or not is not 
