The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-28
TR1BULATIoNs OF A NURsERYMAN
How Nursery Stock is KILLED.

Under the above heading, R. NJ.
Kellogg, an experienced and observ-
ing nurseryman, gives some excellent
points, in Farm. Field and Flreslde,
relating to the care Of nursery stock,
which may be useful to Utah horticul-
turists. He says:
We had large delivery of nursery
stock in our little city the other day,
and we took a stand on the outside to
watch the operation. The agent seemed
a careful man. He had taken the trees
out of the boxes, and quickly heeled
them in so the roots were exposed
as little as possible. The parties who
were to receive and pay for them soon
began to arrive on foot, in 'buggies and
wagons. The bills were ready, and
the agent was soon jumping about
lively to get each party his bundles,
and they were quickly dumped into
the wagon or carried off in the hands.
Some threw little straw over the
roots, others had blanket thrown
loosely over them; but not one in the
whole lot had made proper provision
to keep the roots from the bright sun
shine and drying winds.
Two hours later many Of the bun
dies were lying unprotected in the
wagons on the street, while the owners
were doing their trading, or enjoying
the political harangues and neighbour
hood gossip on the sidewalk, and nearly
all started homeward, merely punching
the straw upon them more closely.
1t might have been interesting to
have followed them TO their final dis
position 1t is safe to say some re-
manned in the wagon till next day; 9TH
ers were thrown on the ground with
little loose dirt put on the roots, where
they remained for days and often
weeks, till other work was disposed of,
the ground ploughed and fitted, or
small holes dug in the grass of the
old orchard, where they were to take
the place of the trees which had died
out from the same neglect Depend
upon it, half the stock cannot survive
such treatment, and next year that
poor agent will be saVagely dealt with
and held responsible for every failure.
People seem to have an idea that a
tree is never injured, or that it never,
never can be killed after it leaves the
nurseryman; at least their treatment
of it seems based on that idea 1t is
the easiest thing in the world to tell
whether tree is dead or the roots are
lifeless when delivered. Cut into them,
and if the bark is fresh and reason
ably moist and bright to the wood
and then properly embedded in moist
earth, it is sure to live, but every mo-
ment that it is exposed and left in a
drying wind. the chances are multi
piled against It.
The roots of a tree injured by ex-
posture are always dry and shrivelled,
and the centre devoid Of sap. Examine
them carefully before receiving them
and then see to 1t that the injury IS
not done to it afterward. If the trees
are supplied with wet straw and
closely wrapped with an old blanket
or oilcloth to exclude currents Of air,
they can be carried any distance
safely. When the tree is dormant, it's
blood (sap) circulates whether roots
are in or out of the ground and only
needs moisture to live on like hiber-
mating animal. AS long as there is fat
on the ribs. air to breathe and sleep,
the bear fourishes, but when active
life returns, food must be forthcoming
or it will quickly perish. When the
roots of a plant or tree become very
dry, the sap becomes waHy and fills
the grain in the wood like varnish. so
that impeachment remains to bother the
sap circulation to such an extent, that
! I doubt if 1t ever regainS the same
vigor of the tree in which a thrifty
growth has always been maintained.
The removal from the nursery to
the final home is the critical time in
the history of the tree. That there are
nurseryrnen by hundreds who grow
trees to sell cheap, conducting their
business as downright swindlers. can
not be denied, but it is equally true
that a large majority of nurserymen
are conscientious and solicitous for the
fullest success of all the stock sent out,
and look carefully to the best inter-
ests of their customers They know
how to handle and protect stock, and
would not permit such gross careless
ness, and in nine times out of ten an
/ investigation will show the failures
arise from the outrageous slovenliness
Of planters.