NURSERY MANAGEMENT 



283 



human nature, then, that the nurserymen grow and sell 

 what the public demands — size and looks first rather than 

 vigor, health and form characteristic of the variety, as 

 well as trueness to name. 



Needless to say, a first-class tree should be true to 

 name, well grown, mature, old enough but not too old 

 for planting, have a perfectly healed union of stock and 

 cion or bud and have smooth, clean, bark free from 

 blemishes and disease, have a strong, stout trunk and good 

 roots characteristic of the variety and also free from dis- 

 ease and insect injury. The leaves should have been 

 allowed to fall naturally, not be 

 stripped ofi to "hasten ripen- 

 ing." They are needed to ma- 

 ture the wood. The tree will 

 drop them at the proper time. 

 Mere height is not alone a rec- 

 ommendation ; far better a 

 rather short stocky tree with nu- 

 merous branches well placed low 

 down on the trunk. Those not 

 needed can be easily cut out, but 

 if not present new ones may be 

 hard to get where wanted. 

 Young, rather than old trees, as 

 a rule, will give better results 

 in customers' hands and thus 

 establish good feeling toward 

 the nurserymen. Very slender 

 trees are usuallj' undesirable. 

 Nursery trees are universally 

 measured by height and diame- 

 ter (caliper), about two inches 

 above the bud or crown. Both 

 dimensions vary with amount and character of trimming. 



380, Standardization of nursery stock grades. — The 

 following standard of grades of nvtrsery stock, made of- 



FIG. 212— SOUR CHERRY 

 TREES 



Left, XXX, 5 to 7 feet; Middle, 

 XX 4V2 to 6 feet; Right, X, 4 

 to 5 feet. 



