Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-03-25
sclecting Fruit Trees.

Few farmers know what really con-
s~titutes a good nursery tree, and yet 1t
is the most valuable information they
can possess, and, to a great extent, the
key to future success; for if you expect
to have a good orchard, you must plant
healthy, well-formed trees, of suitable
sorts for your particular soil and climate.
Most planters are over anxious to obtain
large tress which are very seldom profit
able, never in fact, except when they are
to be moved but a short distance from
tho nursery. Apple-trees, from three
to Eve years old, are the cheapest, cas-
lest to plant, and most certain to live
and give satisfaction. If you go to the
nursery yourself, select stocky Ii. G.
large, juGt-above ground) trees, with
we'll balanced heads, not too high up,
especially if you intend to plant them
on the open prairie. In ordering or
selecting cherry, plum or dwarf pear.
trees, take those that are net over two
years old, in fact, one year old, if vel
grown, are better still. Such trees YOU
can usually get at the nurseries at one
third to cne-half less than the sized
trees that are generally ordered. Muir
Del uCu 1ihO ~ oOl4 4diSS IlSSo az SO
prices, but an honest one will tell you
that this is correct advice, and will per-
haps save you, if you are about order
ing trees, three or four times the cost OF
this paper.
Any one who has had experience in
orchard planting knows that the youn-
ger the tree, as a general thing, the more
readily it adapts itselfto a new situation,
and RECEIVERS from the injuries always
incident to ever so careful a removal
from the nursery. Another reason why
you should select young trees is, you
can form them to suit yourself, so thai
in after years you will never be com.
PEELED to resort to the dangerous remedy
of removing large limbs, or of saving il
the top, which is often absolutely nee.
essary with tall limbless whipstocks.
Each tree in particular should never
be more than one year old. Of the
small fruits, gooseberries and currant:
should never be over two or three years
old. In selecting trees of all kinds
avoid these of unnatural, rapid growth:
or that have decayed spots on the trunk
But the first and most important thing
to look to, and to insist upon, is ar abun
dance of root. More trees fail from
poor roots and from having been expos
ed to frosts and dying winds than from
any other cause. If you order trees
from a distant nursery, state distinctly
that your trees must be well packed, anC
just mention, by way of encouragement
to your nurseryman, that you never be
grudge packing charges; and expec
your trees to be carefully taken up Will
at least a decent supply of fbrous roots
In regard to varieties, if you have con
fdence in your nurseryman, leave tn,
selection mainly to him, only state wha
proportion you wish ofsummer, fall, AM
winter fruits, and that you don't car
for moro than twenty-four varieties, an
hat you wish those to be the best sort
suitable to your locality.
This advise is of course intended 70
those farmers who, from not havin
made horticulture a speciality, are NO
posted Rp in regard to the comparativ
merits..of different sorts.-Emery's Ag'
Journal