Planting the Home Fruit Garden— By s. w. Fletcher 



Cornell 

 University 



A FTER the home-maker has decided the 

 •**■ important points involved in laying 

 out his fruit garden, and settled upon a gen- 

 eral plan of the garden, he is confronted 

 with other equally important problems in 

 the planting of his fruit. Such questions as 

 what kind of trees and plants to buy, where 

 to buy them, and how to do the planting, 

 can only be answered intelligently by the 

 individual home-maker. The succeeding 

 paragraphs aim only to give what general 

 experience has found to be desirable in most 

 cases. Each man must decide for himself 

 whether this general practice is applicable 

 to his own conditions. 



WHERE TO BUY THE TREES AND PLANTS 



Buy the trees and plants of the nearest 

 reliable nurseryman, for several reasons. 

 The stock is more likely to be adapted to 

 the conditions of climate and soil under 

 which you are to grow it. There is a saving 

 in freight. The trees are out of the 1 ground 

 a shorter time, and therefore the roots are 

 less likely to dry out. Then again you have 

 the opportunity of visiting the nursery and 

 examining the stock before buying it. The 

 local dealer, however, has fewer varieties 

 than the specialist. For choice varieties of 

 pears, for instance, you must go to one of 

 the big general concerns. 



Of course it takes time, but it is time well 

 spent. I have a kindly feeling for the 

 ubiquitous tree agent, with his suave but 



156. The box of plants as it comes irom the nur- 

 seryman. The trees are pacKed in moss and straw. 

 Open it at once, untie the bundles, and heel-in the 

 plants outdoors or in the cellar. Keep roots covered 



157. A six- dollar assortment for the home fruit 

 garden — apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, cur- 

 ranis and grapes; forty-five plants. Be careful not to 

 lose or mix the labels. As soon as the trees are 

 planted taKe off these small wire labels — they soon 

 cut into the tree — and put on larger ones 



Photographs by the author 



unreliable advice, and his wonderful colored 

 pictures of "the finest fruits in the country," 

 because he has carried fruits to thousands 

 of homes which otherwise would have had 



158. Before pruning. A 

 three-year-old, two-year- 

 old, and one-year-old 

 Baldwin apple tree. For 

 the home orchard the 

 three-year-old tree is usu- 

 ally best, but if you buy a 

 yearling you can start the 

 head where you wish 



159. Aflerpruning. Try 

 not to leave two branches 

 nearly opposite: they will 

 make a bad crotch later. 

 Remember that these are 

 the "scaffold limbs," 

 which are to support all 

 the weight of the bearing 

 part of the tree 



none. But the tree agent's fruits, though 

 glowing and alluring in the order-book, 

 often ripen into insipidness and disappoint- 

 ment. The tree agent has injured nearly as 

 many home orchards as he has blessed. 

 Was it not he who advised us to plant apple 

 trees fifteen feet apart? Was it not he who 

 sold you varieties "just as good" as the 

 standard sorts you desired? Every year he 

 has a new variety, much better than any 

 other, for all purposes, and he gravely 

 advises you to plant of this very largely. 

 Right here is a chance for the home fruit- 

 grower to save himself much disappointment. 

 In general, it is safer to deal direct with 

 a reliable nurseryman than with an agent, 

 unless you are personally acquainted with the 

 agent and have confidence in his judgment. 

 Usually, it will not pay the home fruit- 

 grower to try to propagate his own stock, 

 except, perhaps, the small fruits. The best 

 nurserymen now take special pains to select 

 and propagate the best stock. The nursery- 

 man can also propagate cheaper than you 

 because he does more of it; and better, 

 because he is more skilful — it is his business. 

 But there is a great pleasure for the amateur 

 in multiplying plants, and if he has time 

 enough to devote to it, and suitable condi- 

 tions, there is no reason why he should not 

 grow just as good trees as the nurseryman. 



THE WRONG PLACE FOR ECONOMY 



Buy the best trees and plants that you can 

 get. Do not be led into the false economy 

 of purchasing second- or third-class trees 

 and plants. It does not pay. If you are 

 about to plant an acre of orchard, the 

 122 



saving by buying second-class stock will 

 rarely amount to more than two or three 

 dollars. The most critical period in the 

 growth of a fruit tree, bush, or plant is the 

 first year, and it is therefore better to pay a 

 few dollars more for the sake of getting 

 strong trees and plants that are sure of making 

 a good start if given a chance. Smaller 

 trees often catch up to the larger in a few 

 years, but the risk is greater. Get first-class 

 stock for the home fruit garden, always. 

 The price of trees is nothing compared 

 with the value of their product. 



A first-class fruit tree is one that is healthy, 

 well grown, of medium size, free from in- 

 jurious insects and diseases, and having the 

 characteristic habit of growth of the variety. 

 Other things being equal, the medium-size 

 trees are better than the very large trees ; but 

 in buying from a nurseryman it is safer to 

 get his largest trees of the desired age. The 

 same is true of the small fruits. 



Buy selected trees and plants. There is a 

 great difference in plants. It is not enough 

 to have a tree or bush or vine which will 

 simply bear fruit of the desired variety; you 

 want it to bear fruit of very high quality for 

 that variety. The farmer saves seed from 

 his best corn plants; the florist takes cuttings 

 from the plants that blossom best; the 

 gardener saves seed from his best melons — 

 why not get fruit plants for your garden that 

 have been propagated from exceptionally 

 good bearing trees of the varieties you wish ? 



Do not be satisfied with the ordinary run 

 of nursery stock, much of which has been 

 propagated for years from other nursery 

 stock or from inferior trees. It pays to select 



160. First-, second-, and third-class trees of Early 

 Crawford peach. The difference in cost is three cents. 

 Is economy worth while? 



