172 The Principles of Fruit-growing 



ticable. It is cheaper to grow trees in the nursery-row — 

 the same as it is cheaper to buy trees of a nurseryman 

 than to attempt to grow them — and the trees also receive 

 better care. Again, seedlings vary, and the poor and weak 

 ones should be discarded the same as they are discarded 

 by the budder in the nursery-row who finds them to be 

 too small or too scrawny to bud. Well-grown stock of 

 a strong-growing variety usually gives more uniform 

 results than a lot of home-grown seedlings. 



Stocks for reworking are sometimes employed for the 

 purpose of securing straight and strong bodies for weak 

 and poor growers, as for the Canada Red and Jefferis 

 apples. Any straight, vigorous, free-growing, hardy stock 

 may be chosen. In the northeastern states, Northern 

 Spy is much used for this purpose. 



Buying the trees. 



It is best, when it can be done, to order trees late in 

 summer or early in autumn. Buy where the best trees 

 can be obtained, and where there is good reason to expect 

 reliable stock and honest dealing. It is usually advisable 

 to buy at the nearest nursery at which the desired stock 

 can be secured, for the buyer has more personal knowledge 

 of the nurseryman, he can visit the nursery, he saves 

 freight, and he may be able to secure his stock in fresher 

 condition; but trees of equal excellence thrive equally well 

 when transported from long distances, if they arrive at 

 their destination in equally good condition. Southern- 

 grown stock gives good results in the North if it is strong, 

 healthy and well-matured. 



Nursery stock should never be purchased simply be- 

 cause it is cheap. Poor stock is dear as a gift. Yet farmers 

 who annually plant a few trees and who buy of agents, 



