Buying and Planting Nursery Stock— By w. H. Jenkins, 



PRACTICAL HINTS THAT WILL HELP YOU TO AVOID LOSS IN 

 HANDLING TREES AND SHRUBS — HOW TO BUY INTELLIGENTLY 



New 

 York 



THE right start in tree planting is 

 getting a good tree, which means 

 that it must be of good size for 

 its age, straight, with a large 

 growth of fibrous roots. It should be as 

 nearly fresh dug as possible. If from the 

 nursery cellars it should have been win- 

 tered under conditions that did not injure 

 its vitality, and then it should be so packed 

 that it reaches the planter without deter- 

 ioration. 



First, we need to know where to buy 

 trees. There are soils especially adapted 

 to growing different kinds of nursery stock. 

 In rich, heavy, clay soils trees and plants 

 sometimes make long tap roots with few 

 fibrous roots, while in lighter soils of fine 

 texture they make a mass of fibrous roots. 

 Moreover, the climate should be favorable 

 to their growth. The longer the growing 

 season the larger the growth of both stem 

 and root, and the better will the wood 

 mature, and harden for winter. For these 

 reasons the bulk of the nursery stock plan- 

 ted in the United States is grown in cer- 

 tain great wholesale centres. For examples 

 we may cite the nurserymen in the vicinity of 

 Dansville, N. Y., who claim to produce fifty 

 per cent of all the fruit trees in the country, 

 supplying the local retail and general dealers. 

 Those around Fredonia raise the majority 

 of the grape vines and small fruit plants. 

 Few ornamentals are grown in these locali- 

 ties, but are produced in larger quanti- 

 ties in the somewhat heavier soils. 

 It is very evident that the best 

 trees or plants will most likely be 

 had from nurserymen so located 

 that because of soil and climate 

 they can produce the best in their 

 specialties. If we buy nursery 

 stock elsewhere than from these 

 great nursery centres, we in all 

 likelihood get stock from nursery- 

 men, dealers or agents, who get 

 their stock there. The general 

 nurseryman offering a great variety 

 of stock has on the other hand the 

 advantage of being able to make 

 his purchases according to condi- 

 tions and 'the ultimate buyer has 

 the advantage of that dealers ex- 

 pert selection. 



We need to know what varieties 

 to buy, how to buy them, and have 

 them shipped. The safe way in 

 selecting varieties is to ascertain 

 what are thriving well in your 

 locality, or in similar localities. In 

 the matter of fruit trees, vines, or 

 plants, it is economy to buy the 

 highest quality that is sufficiently 

 hardy and that is fairly produc- 

 tive. There are good reasons for 

 buying one year old trees — they 

 cost one third less, and are more 



cheaply shipped. When one desires fruit as 

 soon as possible, it may be well to buy part 

 two year old trees. Buy dwarfs for the small 

 home garden. Early ordering is a good thing 

 for the buyer because he can get good first 

 hand stock before the varieties are ex- 

 hausted. When sending your order state 

 how you want it shipped. If the goods do 

 not weigh more than ioo pounds and are 

 not carried by more than two railroads, the 

 better way is to have them shipped by ex- 

 press, especially if you are in a hurry or if 

 the weather is cold. Large orders will 

 nearly always come to you safely by freight 

 if you can wait two or three weeks. Time 

 your order so that the stock will arrive when 

 the ground is ready for planting. Plant 

 before the foliage starts to grow, if pos- 

 sible. 



When the trees arrive, if they cannot be 

 planted at once, "heel" them in and keep 

 roots moist, and tops partially covered with 

 burlap or straw. This means, dig a trench 

 put in the tree and cover the roots roughly 

 with soil. When the soil has been well pre- 

 pared for planting take a tree from the 

 trench where it has been heeled, and shorten 

 the roots, generally about one third, cutting 

 off the ends of all so as to induce new growth 

 to start from them. Prune the top to bal- 

 ance the roots. I presume you will want to 

 grow the low headed fruit tree because that 

 is the more easily pruned, sprayed, and the 

 fruit gathered. The one year old tree you 



Cut back the broken and bruised roots before planting 

 and remember to reduce the top in proportion. New rootlets 

 vigorously 



176 



will have no difficulty in heading back to 

 two or three feet, but with the two year 

 old, you must use judgment and head back 

 as much as the previous growth will per- 

 mit. Whatever you do, leave but little 

 top to draw moisture from the roots. 



Spade out the hole to easily take the roots 

 of the tree, and deep enough so the plant will 

 stand slightly deeper than in the nursery. 

 After some of the fine surface soil has 

 been scattered in the bottom place the tree 

 in the hole, spread out the roots, and cover 

 them a few inches deep with more of the 

 fine rich surface soil, and press the soil 

 firmly over the roots with the feet. If the 

 soil is dry, next pour over it slowly a few 

 quarts of water. Finish filling the hole 

 with the soil taken out of the bottom of the 

 hole, and lastly place a mulch of straw 

 manure, or material that will hold moisture 

 around the tree. 



Everything here stated applies to the 

 buying and planting of fruit trees, small 

 fruits and also the ornamental trees and 

 shrubs, with slight modifications. While 

 it is a right and safe thing to do to buy the 

 mailing size of fruit trees, I have not found 

 the mailing size of flowering shrubs, roses 

 and hardly perennials, so satisfactory, I 

 think because they were grown under glass. 

 Such stock that is two or three years old, 

 and has been grown at least one year in the 

 field, is more hardy and will grow and thrive 

 with much less nursing and protection. If 

 you can afford to wait for results 

 you will find that the mailing size 

 is all right. 



I have had good success in mak- 

 ing hedges and groups on the lawn, 

 with evergreens that have had only 

 one year's field growth in the nur- 

 sery, and which were about eighteen 

 inches high. I planted them in a 

 nursery row in early spring where 

 I wanted a hedge, and thinned 

 them out when I wanted trees for 

 groups. Here I will say I would 

 plant all fruit trees and the hardy 

 ornamentals only early in the 

 spring. Deciduous trees, like 

 maples, birches, beeches, elms, etc., 

 when of large size, can be more 

 safely planted than similarly large 

 sized specimens of the trees and 

 shrubs mentioned. If one desires 

 large trees in the shortest time, 

 the tops should be cut back to 

 balance the roots. The small 

 fruit plants, especially grape 

 vines, may be bought at either 

 one or two year old size, and 

 will grow equally well. One-yeai 

 old grape vines are usually 

 selected for vineyard planting 

 and two-year old for the family 

 garden. 



any tree, 

 will start 



