HARRISONS' NURSERIES, BERLIN. MD., U. S. A. 



Picking and Hauling Ray Peaches 



Producing Fruit Trees That 

 You Can Bank On 



By Henry L. Harrison 



GOING over the nursery a short time ago, I was attracted by 

 the appearance of a block of apple trees. The block was 

 back from the main road, and so would not be noticed 

 unless some particular thing drew attention to it. 



Now. there must be a reason for the quality that was shown in 

 the trees I saw ; so I began to call to mind the points that go to 

 make up a real tree, knowing that in them I should find the rea- 

 sons I was looking for. 



The first reason is that Harrisons' trees are budded from hear- 

 ing orchards, so there can be no question about the variety, nor 

 about what the small tree may be expected to do. That really 

 means pedigreed trees, but we don't call them by that name. The 

 bud-sticks are cut from trees that have produced fruit for several 

 years — not first-year bearers. This is done because we want to 

 know that the parent is worthy of having its characteristic 

 passed on to a second or third generation. 



The next point is that Harrisons' Nurseries maintain a test- 

 orchard of peaches, where all the old, familiar varieties are grow- 

 ing and fruiting year after year. The new sorts, too, are planted 

 about as soon as they are introduced, records kept of their growth, 

 fruiting and other items of importance. The same plan, but dif- 

 fering in some ways, is followed with apples and other fruits. 

 Thus we know the merits and disadvantages of every variety, and 

 take steps to increase the one and reduce the other. 



The Location of the nurseries is another reason for such good 

 trees. We are only seven miles from the ocean, so the atmosphere 

 is moist in spring and summer when the trees are growing. This 

 same moisture tends to make mild winters ; thus the young trees 

 lose no vitality in fighting extreme cold. 



The Soil is a loose, sandy loam which is conducive to root- 

 growth, and the trees have a mass of fibers rarely found in trees 

 grown in other sections. 



The final reason is regular and careful cultivation. During the 

 entire growing season the soil is kept loose by horse-cultivating 

 and hoeing as required. The small trees have to be sprayed, for 

 the bugs that infest big trees get on the little ones, too, and so a 

 spraying machine goes over the blocks as often as needed. 



Now, to sum up the story. That block of apple trees took my 

 attention because they were budded right, because they were care- 

 fully cultivated and sprayed, and because climate and soil are 

 adapted to tree-growing. And these are the reasons why Harri- 

 sons' trees are of such high quality, and why you can depend on 

 them to make good when they are transplanted to your garden or 

 orchard. 



