Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1911-10-10
NURSERY STOCK
TIME TO CONSIDER PURCHASE
OF TREES FOR FALL OR
SPRING PLANTING.
Written Expressly For This Paper BY
VIM. II. Alderman, Professor OF
Horticulture, West Virginia
University.

The time is now at hand when the
fruit grower should consider the pur-
chase of trees for his fall or spring
planting. The demand for trees has
become so great that the Dyerworked
nurserymen from Maine to oregon are
unable to furnish an adequate supply
in all varieties. Many of them have
already contracted for over half of
their stock. If you are looking Tor
first class trees and are at all particu-
lar about getting the varieties ordered
it would be advisable TO arrange your
purchase as soon as possible.
Visit the Nursery.
If you are buying a good sized order
It would pay to visit the nursery ana
select the trees before they are dug.
Most nurserymen will allow a pur-
chaser to go through their blocks and
mark the trees he wishes to buy. In
this way one may secure the most Wig
orous and best shaped trees in the lot,
and can be reasonably sure that they
will be true to name, for most OF the
variety mixtures are made in the con-
fusion of the packing shed. Insist that
your trees shall not be dug until the
leaves have nearly all fallen, for this
means that the buds are well ripened
and that the wood is hard and mature
Much has been spoken and written
about the advisability of buying trees
from nearby nurseries where condi-
tions are similar. to those in your
orchard While this is a factor that it
might be well to consider, it is of far
more Importance to secure good tree
with a good root system. There is
much evidence to show that it matters
little from what part of the country
tree comes, provided it is healthy, Wig
orous and has not been injured in dig
gng or shipping.
Yearlings or Twe-Year-Olds.
With apples it is always an unset
tied question whether it is better to
buy straight whips one year old or
more expensive two-year-old trees on
which the main branches are already
started The advantages in favor of
the smaller trees are, first, cheapness;
second, small root systems which will
require only a small hole at planting
time; third, the head may be formed
at any height to suit the growers
fancy; fourth, the root systems re-
ceive less injury in digging than do
those of larger trees. The advantages
of the two-year-olds are, first, trees
with we'll formed heads may be select
ed thereby insuring uniform and SYM
metrical orchard trees; second, they
will probably reach bearing size year
sooner than one-year-old tree; third,
it is easier to detect crown gall or
hairy root upon them than upon year
lings Between first class trees Of
both ages the two-year-olds are the
most desira HE. 1t is, however, some
times didicalt 10 get good two-year-olds
because tLe nursery block has been
sorted over the previous year and the
best trees sold as yearlings. Between
a first class yearling and second
grade tWo-year-old, the younger tree
Wou 4 undouh eddy be the better. New
CT buy three or four-year-old trees be
cause these are the culls of previous
years which we're so weak and small
that they had to be grown the extra
season or TWO in order to bring them
TO a marketable size.
Crown Gall.
The most prevalent disease that at
tacks nursery trees, and against which
purchasers should be on their guard,
IS Crown Gall or Hairy Root. the two
names coming from the two distinctive
forms of the same disease. There are
some differences of opinion among
plant pathologists regarding the ulti-
mate effects Of this disease upon or
chard trees, but all agree that it is
very unsafe 20 plant infested stock.
Make no contract or arrangement with
a nurseryman which will not allow you
to throw out all trees that show any
sign of the disease. The woody aphis
causes small irregular swellings to ap-
pear upon the roots that might be mis-
taken for small gals, but inasmuch as
the aphis is to be more dreaded than
the aforementioned disease, have no
hesitation about discarding these trees
also