ORCHARD FRUITS 41 



of the water will be taken out with it. That goes 

 to show the material that will retain the moisture 

 in packing trees for shipment over any distance. 



" Another thing to be considered is the treat- 

 ment and handling after the stock has been received. 

 Many nurserymen are careless about exposing the 

 roots, put the trees on wagons and drive two or 

 three miles in the dry, hot sun, or sometimes in the 

 cold, chilling wind, and this exposes the roots to 

 injury every minute. They then throw the trees 

 into the packing sheds and leave them exposed to 

 the cold or drying atmosphere ; with the result that 

 when the planter receives the tree, the majority of 

 the roots are shriveled and injured. They should 

 use the utmost caution in protecting the roots, from 

 the time the trees are dug for packing until they 

 receive the planter's attention, and we should give 

 them the same care until they are growing in the 

 orchard. 



" The nurseryman is not to blame altogether. 

 The planter is to blame in many instances. Re 

 receives the trees in a careless manner ; he goes 

 after them with a hay rack, and probably waits a 

 day before he gets them, and during all this time 

 the roots are exposed and drying. He seldom 

 thinks of doing anything to protect the roots. The 

 next day they are taken out in the field and thrown 

 in piles, with perhaps horse blankets over them, 

 and perhaps not ; and there they are exposed to 

 the heat and drying wind. We have a chilly at- 

 mosphere in the north, and these tender roots are 

 injured as much in that kind of weather as in the 

 dry season. 



" There are many who have no care against that. 

 The buyers evidently feel the trees were sold by the 

 agent with the agreement to replace what do not 



