The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-18

especially year like this, when the
number of orders received has ex-
ceeded that ever known in the his
tory of this country. It seems az
though the whole world has walked UP
to the Importance Of planting trees,
&c. The result is that nurserymen
have been driven to desperation with
overwork in their attempt to Ill the
orders and to do justice to patrons.
III everything in the order Is not
| found precisely according to the list
sent don't find fault with the nursery
man. particularly in year of pressure
ike this. 4 patron writes me that the
maple tree 1 sent him is not quite
round headed. that is, that the top 10
not ideal and that he would like to
have this tree replaced by another
with better formed top. It Is UNI
just to make such complaint as this
to the nurseryman, for the head of a
tree can be made round, compact or
otherwise by pruning, All this man
has to do Is to cut back the branches
about half their length or less, after
which new top will be formed round
headed as desired.
Patrons sometimes write nursery
men that the grape vine or the dozen
strawberry plants or the six raspberry
plants which should have come with
his bale OF trees cannot be found. NV
experience is that many times these
small packages are overlooked by the
purchaser. They have beer packed
by the nurseryman but the small item
has become detached and mixed with
the packing material, the straw, the
excelsior or the moss, and has escaped
observation. Go back where the plants
were unpacked and see IL the missing
vine or shrub can be found In the
waste material,
What is to happen to the nursery
business owing to the embargo on
seeding trees, that Is the stocks. which
american nurserymen have bought by
the billion of European growers? Ny
answer Is that I do not know, further
than 1t is obvious that higher prices
must prevail for both fruit and orna-
mental plants, vines and trees. After
time it is probable that our law
makers may annul the radical ruling
which they have made, but meanwhile
there will be famine in fruit trees.
TSas the package Of trees been re-
ceived as early as desired this spring
TX 80, 1t Is fortunate. for how is II
possible for a nurseryman to fill TO-
900. 10000. 10000 or 10000 orders in |
a few short weeks of rainy and frosty |
weather of tickle springtime, and to |
deliver the package precisely at the |
date the patron desires? Sometimes |
the patron complains that the pack |
age has been received too early and |
that he is not ready to plant. In such |
cases he should heel the trees in fine |
garden soil. covering the roots thor
oughly with moist earth until he is |
ready to plant.
Do not ask or expect that the nurs- |
eryman will be able to deliver the |
parcel on a certain date, neither |
should n customer expect that this |
remarkable thing can be done. II |
only a dozen orders were received |
daily this might be possible, but with I
thousands OF orders II Is impossible.
VIII they want any more trees next |
year? A friend OF mine, looking over |
the million trees dug and ready for |
shipment by nurseryman. remarked: |
"If they plant all these trees this year
the people of the United States will !
not want any more trees next year. |
will they?" This Is the thought that |
naturally would arise in the mind OF |
an inexperienced individual. He would |
say that these millions of trees gath |
cred together will supply the country |
for a long period and for the next |
few years they will not want to buy |
any. but when next year comes the |
usual quantity is ordered and planted. |
This indicates that we are living in a |
big country and that there are many |
mouths to feed and that the beauty |
and utility of ornamental and fruit |
trees is increasing.
CHARLES A. GREEN