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CAYUGA NURSERIES 
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Established by John Morse In 1847 
INTRODUCTORY 
After many years of hard work and careful observation, we have come to believe that 
two chief causes of so many short-lived, sickly and unfruitful trees are: Ist, A forced 
growtK in the early life of the plant, and 2d, the indiscriminate cutting of scions and buds 
from the young trees in the nursery row without any knowledge of their constitutional 
vigor or fruiting qualities. 
Propagating from trees of known fruitful habits and Constitutional Vigor. This can- 
not be practiced altogether, but in many cases we follow this practice of cutting our buds 
from fruiting trees on our own grounds, and sometimes going many miles from home to 
secure buds from certain strains which have shown early fruiting habits. This is what we 
mean by well Guarded Parentage, called by some "tree breeding." By this process we 
are more likely to get strong Constitutional qualities, and trees of early fruiting habits. 
The form and comeliness of a tree are good points, but should not be gained at the expense 
of destroying its constitution by too much nitrogen to push its growth. A tree or plant 
may be ruined by forcing its growth in early life. 
A Tree of weak constitution, from any cause whatever, is much more subject to attack 
from insect pests than a tree constitutionally strong. 
There is nothing that will so shock a tree as to stimulate it to an unnatural, forced 
growth up to the time of transplanting, and then remove it to a soil, the fertility of which 
is much weaker, causing the tree or plant to practically stand still a year or more, by which 
it receives a shock from which it is difficult to recover. 
After transplanting to the orchard where the tree is to remain, we advise fertilizers 
of such a character as the soil and tree may require, and applied at such times as not to 
produce growth late in the season, as the wood should be well ripened and hardened before 
going into winter. 
Our stocks, upon which our different varieties are worked, are selected with the great- 
est care, looking to the hardiness and longevity of the tree. 
The apple trees purchased from you last spring have done exceedingly well 
— only lost one out of 800. Personally I much prefer, and believe there is a 
growing demand for well-grown vigorous trees, of normal development, budded 
from the best and most productive types of the respective varieties. 
Mr. Mann is considered one of the most practical fruit growers in 
Niagara county, N. Y. The 800 trees referred to were planted in Spring 
of 1897. From these trees he has already gathered several hundred bar- 
rels of choice apples. 
The Best Stock 
W. T. Mann. 
