CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - ZetaTalk

18t.i THE NliRSERY-MANUALOne never knows what the so-called “ pedigree ” may meaniI1 any case or whether it is actually worth an additional price.Yet the exercise of care in any part of the nursery operationis commendable and ought to express itself in the product.There is rea,son to think that parentage counts in bud-propagatioll,altl ~ougl-I there is not the scope for variation and breedingthat there is in seed-propagation. The bud-selectionwork of Shame1 in oranges is significant. Nurserymen shouldencourage a careful seleotioii-protluct ,lhhn~i~uj t rws iu the 11 ursnyOne of the prime efforts of the nurseryman is to make histrees stocky. Many factors conspire to produce this result.LIny trcatmerlt that makes trees grow vigorously may be espettedto contribute to their stockiness, if the grower doesnot circumvent it by some subsequent operat,ioil.Fruit,-trees should be give11 plenty of room. The rows inThe nursery should stand 3;. feet apart, for ordinary fruit-trees,and the plants should sta.nd 10 inches or a foot apart in the row.The first year the leaves should not be rubbed off the bodiesof the trees, else the trees will grow too much at the top andbecome too slender. If, however, strong forking or sidebranches appear low down - as often happens in sour cherries- they should be removed. Budded or whole-root stock offruit-trees should reach a height of 4 feet or more the firstyear. The following spring, the stock is headed-in uniformly,reducing it to the height of 3 or 4 feet, according to kind andthe uses for whicbh the stock is grown.Soon after the trees are headed back the second spring, theyare “ sprouted.” This operation consists in hoeing the dirta\~?- from the base of the tree and cutting ofl all sprouts thatstart from the root or the crown. After heading-in, the tree“ feathers out ” from top to bottom. It is a common practice