Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.
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FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
One Hundred and Twenty Varieties of Fruits
and Ornamentals Described
PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS
On the Planting and Care of Orchards and
Small Fruits in Oklahoma
CONSERVATION OF MOISTURE
For Growth of Crops
By JIM PARKER, Nurseryman
Tecumseh, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma
J-B PRINT SHOP, TECUMSEH
4 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
CONTENTS
VARIETIES OF FRUITS
Apple, VaTIetics t. 2 22-.12..-25 18-20
Planting and care ...........- 40-51
Peach, varietiest{o4)- se 23-24
Planting and care .........: 40-51
Pear Val CUES cs er ee ee eee ee 25
Iedlanauniover ByOVGl CENES eascccces 40-51
AP unin ey -Sa ce Se eee es tC once Jel ares 26
CREEVICS (703 oe 5k cee eee er OS Eee 26
Apricots and Nectarines, 27
Grapes miVaArietiess =o) soe ee: 28
Plamibine sala re ee a ee 55
Strawberries, varieties .....................- 28
‘Culltiviatilomierss oe eee 57
Blackberries, varieties ........................ 28
(CAIUEV AION Set oe eee ee 55
Cewoberries, varieties ...........0....02...... 28
Cultivarionh =e) eae 56
Raspberries, varieties .......................- 29
Cultivation. a Sl
New Varieties Berries .................--..- 29
Cultivation: eee 57
Pie Plant, variety and care.............. 29
FUOS CG hea Be state ae A Gk I iy ede 30-32
HOneySuckle i’. 4 vine. oo eee eee 32
Ornamental Shrubs = ee 33
Ornamental’ Preesi# 22-5. 34-36
Currants and Gooseberries ................ 57
ILLUSTRATIONS
Digsiniey STees ces eo ee Sea ar 10
Nursery June ist and digging time..11
Cion Orchard: 2245.2 12
Gratting: -Crew 2.4..2 2eee 13
lea dinigs VAip oly see e eee eee 14
Budding “Crew = 2 15
Apple Seedlings June 1 and Jan.1....16
One. Year. Apple: 2:2 oe eee 17
SOM OUibime = Ieee lie ies eee 21
Grades of Peach Trees . .............2.2 22
Pear Nursery. 2.232222 25
Residence... 6... 3 ee ee 30
Corner in “Shades, = 34
Le Ky Parker-and: Sons). 62
Conservine= Moisture. ae Al
PLANTING AND CULTIVATION
Heeling in Trees. 2.22 = 40
How to Restore Dry Trees..........-..... 4]
Time “to: Plant === eee 41
Preparation of the Soil.................. 42
Distance for Planting === 43
How tor: Plant 22) =: * eee 43
How to Hold” Moisture == 51
Pruning Peach, Apple, Pear.......... 47-49
MISCELLANEOUS
Introductory. yi. eee 5
Mruits. tom Mamilly. 2 29
Dritt, to .Cities*..... ee 38
Philosophy of Contentment ............ 38
Nobility of abor. =e 39
The Fruit, Tree Agent 22.3 59
The ‘INurseryman —.. 23 eees 61
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 8
INTRODUCTORY
This book has_ been
prepared for the purpose
of helping purchasers
make good selections of
fruits for their homes,
and to assist in their
planting and care.
There is real demand
for fruit trees and it is
our wish to supply that
dem:nd with varieties of
known merit.
We recommend only
tested varieties because
we feel that our custom-
ers are entitled to the
benefit of our experience
and to the knowledge
gained by our State and
: Government Experiment
——— Station.
JIM PARKER OUR AIM is to grow
and sell as good trees as
can be grown and to make our profits by selling large quantities.
LIFE IS TOO SHORT and too serious and we have neither
the time nor inclination to cultivate our imagination in an ef-
fort to invent some plausible argument to induce home builders to
pay high prices for the hot air in some “frost proof,” “exclusive
right,” “trade mark,” or other blue sky scheme. There is no
monopoly either on varieties or on methods of growing trees.
Trade marks are only monopolies on an advertising de-
vise used in selling, and not monopolies on the growing of the
6 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
thing advertised. Armour uses a trade mark in advertising his
beef business, but it does not prevent farmers from growing cat-
tle. Our appeal is to common sense and experience; not to ignor-
ance and curiosity.
WE HAVE NO SIDE SCHEMES. Prices are based on cosz
of production; the difference in price being governed by age and
size of trees. Thriftiness and freedom from disease are the
main traits which make a variety profitable to the planter, and
these same qualities make a variety easy to grow in the nursery.
Increased sales is sufficient compensation for any fair minded
nurseryman for keeping in stock all varieties of real merit.
For the past twenty-four years I have made my living chief-
ly by growing and selling trees. Twelve years in Arkansas;
twelve years in Oklahoma. My smallest crop of trees was 20,000.
My largest crop season, 1910, a little over 3,000,000. I expect
to continue in the business and hope to make more money in the
future than I have in the past. At the same time I wish to
handle my business in such a way that I may carry in my own
mind the conciousness that my work is helpful to the world ana
that I am adding my share of labor to the sum total of human
effort which is constantly making of this world a better place
for all of us to live JIM PARKER.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD ié
HOME BANKERS SAY:
Tecumseh, Okla., May 7, 19138.
To Whom it May Concern:
The Parker Nursery is among the leading industries of Te-
cumseh, having for a number of years had plantings rangi :g
from one to three million trees, and paying out annually for
labor about $15,000.
This nursery has for the past ten years supplied most of
the trees for planting in this part of the country, and any one
purchasing trees from this firm will receive honest and fair
treatment.
TECUMSEH NATIONAL BANK,
By E. L. ROSEBUSH, President.
FARMERS NATIONAL BANK,
By M. L. CALDWELL, Cashier.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK,
By H. R. NICHOLS, Cashier.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
APPOINTED MEMBER STATE ENTOMOLOGICAL
COMMISSION
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BY THE GOVERNOR ; Zs 2
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~ GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
a a ae to G
SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE STATE OF OKLANOMA
we
The Entomological Commission has advisory oversight of
all Horticultural and Entomological matters of the state. Form-
ulates rules and regulations governing the Inspection of Nurs-
eries, the Spraying of Orchards, and the prevention of the spread
of injurious insects and diseases of farm and orchard crops.
The Commissioners are:
Prof. C. E. Sanborn, Stillwater, Okla., State Entomologist.
Benj. Hennessey, Sec. Board Agri., Oklahoma City.
Jim Parker, Tecumseh, Oklahoma.
O
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
BUSINESS TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
SHIPPING SEASON.—Our shipping season begins Oct. 15th
and lasts until April 15th. We can pack trees in our storage
house and ship with safety almost any week during the winter.
METHOD OF SHIPMENT.—Unless definite instructions ac-
company order, trees will be boxed or baled, as best meets re-
quirements of order, and forwarded by freight, express or mail,
according to our judgment.
TERMS.—Cash with order during shipping season. If order
is placed in advance of shipping season, a payment of 25 per cent
of order to accompany it, balance may be sent at time of ship-
ment or stock shipped C. O. D., as best suits the convenience of
customer. Send payment by money order, check, or any way to
suit your convenience. No advance payment is required where
orders are placed with our salesmen, and the customer may sat-
isfy himself as to quality and condition of stock before payment.
WE GUARANTEE all stock sent out is well grown, well
rooted, true to name, properly packed, and that it will reach cus-
tomer in good condition for planting. Our liability under this
guarantee is limited to original price received.
COMPLAINTS OR CLAIMS.—We are just like other folks:
we sometimes make mistakes. We are glad to have our custom--
ers report them and will cheerfully and promptly make correc-
tion. We mean to make every deal satisfactory.
PREPAY CHARGES—We prepay charges on all orders for
$10.00 or more. If you wish charges prepaid on order for less
than $10.00, add 15 per cent to amount of order.
SPECIAL PRICES.—To buyers of large lots we will he
pleased to quote special prices if they will make out itemized lis*
of what they wish to purchase.
SPECIAL TERMS.—We sell trees on five yearly payments
with eight per cent interest, furnish trees on “Crop Contract,”
taking choice of one crop in fifteen years as payment, plant trees
and care for them either for a cash consideration or for an in-
terest in the orchard. We shall be glad to discuss plans with
any one who needs credit or who would like to see his trees
growing before paying for them.
10 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
This digger is operated like a sulky plow. By working lev-
ers the driver is enabled keep blade at any depth desired. A
heavy steel circular blade runs under the trees and a lifter at-
tachment throws trees practically out of the ground. No bruis-
ed bodies or mutilated roots on our trees, as is too often found
among trees dug with a spade or with the cumbersome dig-
gers commonly used.
This is our own invention and we are arranging for its
manufacture.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 11
Nursery as it Appeared June Ist.
Seedlings in foreground. Two year apple in background.
Budded apple to right.
The Same Field at Digging Time .
22 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
CION AND EXPERIMENTAL CRCHARD ON HOME PLACE.
This is a permanent nursery planting, and will supply
enough cions and buds to grow three million trees. There is
so much danger of getting iniurious insects or nlant disease in
the nursery by bringing trees and cions from outside, whether
from orchards or nurserymen, that we do not want to take the
chence. In 1909 we selected 125 varieties of apples, both
new and old sorts, that were of prominence in different parts of
the United States and planted them in our propogating orchard.
Many of these varieties have been selected with especial care as
to the bearing qualities of parent trees. We have Jonathan,
Rome Beauty, Wine Sap and Stayman Wine Sap from trees that
took blue ribbon for qualities of fruit in competition against the
world. We mean to give our customers the best there is of
pedigreed sorts or selected strains. We also mean to keep our-
selves in a position to grow in quantity all new varieties that
prove valuable. |
We have also stocked up on other fruits and have over 200
varieties growing on our grounds. Our propogating blocks ar2
well sprayed, well cultivated. and with this preparation, we
know that we are safe in promising our customers healthy trees,
true to name.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 13
Grafting House Force
These Boys and Girls Put up 1,654,000 Grafts.
Two Hundred Thousand trees from that season’s planting
were shipped to one of our wholesale customers in Colorado,
where every tree must be inspected by a competent State En-
tomologist before planters are permitted to receive the trees,
and the official report of the Inspector of Colorado shows that
trees from our nursery passed with less per cent of cull than
trees from any other nursery doing business in the State.
We attribute much of cur success in growing and grading
trees to the fact that we employ only intelligent, honorable
white help.
The QUESTION is not how we may get work done the
CHEAPEST, but how we may GROW and DELIVER the
BEST TREES to our CUSTOMERS.
14 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
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This picture shows the height of our one-year-old apple
trees being cut back to grow two year trees. For our trade in
the Southwest trees are headed at twenty-two inches and pruned
evenly so that the first limb on a two year old tree is fifteen
inches from the ground.
In the seasons of 1911 and 1912 we had more apple trees
growing at Tecumseh than were owned by any other individual
nurseryman in the world. We were then selling in large quan-
tities to a few of the very largest wholesale buyers in the Unit-
ed States. The bulk of these apple trees were going to the
Rocky Mountain country. In 1911 we planted nine hundred
thousand Jonathan apple grafts; other varieties were largely,
Rome Beauty, Gano, Wine Sap, Stayman, and varieties of high
quality. The reason these western people get so much better
prices for their apples than other folks is not that their country
is better, but that they plant high quality varieties and then spray
and cultivate them.
We do a wholesale business with nurserymen on apple trees,
and mean to excel in that one line of nursery work.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 15
BUDDING APPLE TREES.
Both the season of 1911 and the season of 1912 we planted
fifty bushels of apple seed, making a planting of about fifty
acres. Every other row of these trees were budded in the field
during September and October. The remaining rows were dug
in order to supply seedlings for root grafting. Practically all
of our one year apple for the season of 1913 will be grown from
buds budded into French Crab that has never been transplanted.
We are among the very few nurserymen who have succeed-
ed in growing trees in this way, and are the only ones, so far
as we know, who have ever grown on a large scale after this
manner. We have genuine WHOLE ROOT TREES. Our one
year apple will give good results; they will have ideal tap roots.
16 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
Three Million Apple Seedlings. Field adjoining city on the
north. Photo. June, 1912.
Every other row in same field being dug December, 1912.
The remaining rows were budded during September and will
make one year apple for 1913 and two year for 1914.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD aby
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Tallest 6(ft,8-int Extra. 4-5 3-4 2-3 18-24 in.
One Year Budded Apple Graded Ready for Shipment
These trees were grown in the dry season of 1911. The tallest one
year apple is six feet and eight inches
Three-fourths of the trees planted in the west are one year
trees. They give better results, chiefly because they can be dug
with larger roots in proportion to their top. Eastern planters
would top one year trees at 30 to 36 inches in height. Western
planters at 24 to 30, and in the southwest many orchardists top
trees at 18 inches. One year trees have live buds to the ground
and should be allowed to branch and grow limbs all along the
bodies during the first season. Rubbing buds and leaves off the
bodies is a mistake. They should be allowed to grow and those
not needed removed following winter.
Our best market, however, is south of us and I think our
18 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
opportunity lies in producing an apple that is good to eat during
September, October and November. Such an apple will find ready
sale either north or south, and if market conditions are such that
it appears unwise to sell at that time, the fruit can be put in
cold storage and we can take our chances in competition with
fruit from Arkansas, Missouri and the Rocky Mountain country.
From a money-making standpoint cold storage is the only way to
keep fruit. Cost is only about 15 cents per bushel and apples
ripening in September may be kept till next June. The following
varieties. are described in the order of preference as market ap-
ples for Oklahoma and the Southwest. They are all good apples
for any part of the United States.
JONATHAN.—The most extensively planted variety and
recognized as one of the best not only on account of its fine flavor
but equally on account of hardiness of the trees, adaptability to
any soil, and extra bearing qualities. Brings highest price in
market. Oklahoma Jonathan can be ripened up and reach the
markets ahead of the main crop and will bring top prices.
WINESAP.—One of the best varieties for both home and
market. Tree a good grower and heavy bearer. Medium size
red apple of fine flavor.
GANO.—A _ supposed Ben Davis seedling. Tree almost
identical with that of the Ben Davis; fruit similar in shape, deep-
er red in color and a superior quality. Tree a good grower. Su°-
ceeds well on all soils.
ROME BEAUTY.—Large, with red stripes; tender and juicy.
A fine sort for either home or market. On account of late bloom-
ing sometimes bears when others fail.
BEN DAVIS.—One of the oldest, best known and most prof-
itable sorts.
MO. PIPPIN-—The earliest bearer; fruit bright red with
numerous gray dots. A very profitable variety.
STAYMEN WINESAP.—Fruit is larger and tree hardier
grower than Winesap. Fruit not quite so well colored. Profit-
able market variety.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 19
APPLES FOR JUNE AND JULY.
YELLOW TRANSPARENT.—Hardy upright grower, bears
early and abundantly. Best early apple. June 20th to July 10.
RED ASTRACHAN.—Trees very hardy. Good cooking ap-
ple. June 25th to July 15th.
EARLY HARVEST.—Oldest and best known June apple.
Succeeds well everywhere. June 20 to July 10th.
RED JUNE.—Tree weak grower. Good flavor and bears
well.
APPLES FOR JULY AND AUGUST.
MAIDENS BLUSH.—Clear skin with delicate red blush.
Best all purpose summer apple. Long season of ripening makes
it especially valuable where there is room only for a few trees.
July 15th to Sept. Ist.
HORSE.—Large yellow; good flavor, good grower. August.
RAMBO.—Hardy grower; heavy bearer after trees are Six
or eight years old. Extra for apple butter. August 20th te
Sept. 10th.
WEALTHY.—Medium size; red striped. August.
APPLES FOR SEPTEMBER.
GRIMES GOLDEN.—Medium size. Best eating apple grown
Good market and keeps well in storage.
MARKET APPLES.
The bulk of what is known as winter apples are gathered in
September. Jonathan, Rome Beauty, Winesap, grown in Oklaho-
ma, unless they are put in storage, will mellow up during Sep-
tember and October. Oklahoma is on the southern border of the
APPLE BELT. Our June apples are the first to take the place
of cold storage apples. If planted extensively enough to shin
in car load quantities June Apples would certainly prove profit-
able.
MAMMOTH BLACKTWIG.—Very large; flat shape, dark
20 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
red, good quality and valuable for market.
WHITE WINTER PEARMAIN.—Tree hardy and good bear-
er; valuable for either home or market.
YEL. NEWTON PIPPIN.—Fruit of extra quality, valuable
both in Northwest and East. Untried in Oklahoma.
SPITZENBURGH.—Beautiful bright 288 pleasant flavor,
brings top market.
McINTOSH.—Bright, deep red; tender, high flavor; delicious
white flesh. Tree long lived and productive.
BANANA.—F ancy market variety. ‘Fruit a pale yellow.
DELICIOUS.—A new variety of great promise. Large, red,
superior quality.
N. W. GREENING.—Fruit medium to large. Color, green-
ish yellow; flesh juicy, firm and fine grained. Very fine flavor-
ed. Tree is very hardy and thrifty grower. Early and continu-
ous bearer; one of the longest keepers.
COLLINS (Champion).—Bright red, medium size.
BLACK BEN DAVIS.—Of the Ben Davis type; a large red
apple, hardy and a fine market apple.
RAWLS JANET.—Small red striped; very late bloomer.
BALDWIN.—Leading marke; sort of the East. Red, medi-
um size, juicy.
ARKANSAS BLACK.—It is a misfortune to the world that
this variety was ever introduced. That it is a fine apple and
good keeper is true, but it is such a poor bearer that it costs
as much to grow one bushel of Arkansas Black as ten bushels
of many equally as good apples.
CRAB APPLES.
TRANSCENDENT.—Large red; most profitable variety.
The crabs are of particular value for preserves and jelly.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 21
SPROUTING PEACH TREES.
The art of budding is so old that I think the Jews must
have figured it out between times while making brick for Pha.
raoh. Buds from the desired variety are inserted in seedling
trees and the seedling cut back and the tree grown from the bud.
Great care must be taken or the wrong bud will be allowed to
grow.
The budding of trees does not affect either their fruitful-
ness or their hardiness. It only enables us to reproduce a known
variety. <A little worthless variety might be budded for a hun-
dred years without improvement. The apparent difference be-
tween the hardiness of seedlings and peaches of the Elberta class
is in response to a rule of nature that large peaches are not so
fertile in bloom as small peaches. The higher types of life,
whether it be animal or plant kingdom, are poorer’ breeders
than the lower types.
Through all the centuries, the process of selection of the best
has improved the peach until what was once a poison almond
is now one of the best of fruits for man.
Tad FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
By IEG Qy72 late 18-24 12-18
GRADES OF PEACH TREES.
Stocky small trees like above are best to plant. We keep in
stock but do not recommend 4-ft- and up trees. Where peach
trees are planted with other fruit trees in a small orchard it may
be well to start heads 18 to 24 inches from the ground, partly on
account of appearance of the orchard and partly on account of
greater convenience in cultivation. But if you are planting peach
trees with a view of making money, top the trees at 15 inches
and let them limb as low as they will. All the better if some of
the limbs come out near top of ground and your tree appears to
have no body. Such trees will bear better, live longer, and it
will be a joy to stand on the ground and gather all the fruit.
VARIETIES OF PEACHES.
Every home should be supplied with plenty of this delicious
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 23
fruit. By careful selection of varieties, we may gather it fresh
from the trees during June, July, August, September and October.
A half dozen trees for each season of ripening will supply an
abundance for family use. After taking care of the needs of
the family, it is then best to plant whatever additional trees
that are to be planted all of one variety. In considering what
that variety should be we should take into account the fact that
we must reach the market with carlot quantities and must there-
fore plant enough of one variety to have carlot shipments of our
own or else plant a variety that is being extensively planted in
the community. The Elberta peach is now the most popular com-
mercial sort and it has held its own for the past fifteen years
against an average of possibly twenty-five promising new varie-
ties every year.
ELBERTA.—Large yellow freestone. May justly be called
the “‘universal peach.” There is no place in the United States
where peaches are grown but wha; the Elberta is one of the mosi
extensively planted, both for home and market. In most com-
munities, the only peach that it is profitable to plant for distant
shipment, owing to the fact that it is the only one planted in
sufficient quantities to make car load shipments.
ARP BEAUTY.—Resembles Elberta, but earlier.
SALWAY.—Resembles Elberta, ripening one week later.
THREE VALUABLE PEACHES FOR JUNE
EARLY WHEELER.—A recently introduced Texas variety.
Tree vigorous and productive. Clingstone; flesh white; quality
very good for an early peach; firm. Market. Season extra early.
This variety is no doubt one of the most profitable for Southeri:
Texas, as it is the earliest of all good shipping peaches. Valu.
able for home and local market anywhere, but very doubtfu!
whether it will prove profitable as a marke; sort on Northern bor-
der of peach belt, as it would have to compete with varieties of
better quality ripening farther south.
ALEXANDER.—Red clingstone; good bearer.
GREENSBORO.—Good early clingstone peach for home use.
24 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
THREE HOME AND LOCAL MARKET PEACHES
RIPENING IN JULY.
TRIUMPH.—Yellow freestone, ripening last of June and first
of July.
CARMEN.—Fruit large; freestone; flesh white, good quali-
ty: Good for home and market.
CRAWFORD’S EARLY.—Yellow freestone; good flavor,
good bearer.
THREE VALUABLE CLINGS
CHINESE CLING.—Fruit large; flesh white; quality good;
splendid sort for home or for local market. Ripens just before
Elberta.
HEATH CLING.—Fruit very large; flesh white; quality good
Firm and good keeper. The best clingstone peach either for
home or market. Ripen one to two weeks later than Elberta.
STINSON’S OCTOBER.—Fruit large. Clingstone. White
meated and of excellent quality.
THREE VALUABLE FREESTONES
STUMP.—Large white freestone, ripening one week after
Elberta.
CRAWFORD’S LATE-—Once the most popular market peach
until Elberta supplanted it in the public favor. Freestone; rip-
ens late.
PIQUETT’S LATE.—Medium size yellow freestone. Ripens
very late. :
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 25
|
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eer. Sin
VIEW OF OUR PEAR NURSERY.
PEARS.
KEIFER.—For sections of the country where pears are in-
jured by blight, the Keifer is by far the best pear to plant, either
for home or market. Tree very hardy; fruit large.
GARBER.—Hardy and bears young. Large, slight red
blush. One of the best. .
BARTLETT.—Largely planted as a summer variety of good
quality. Should not be planted except where pears are compara-
tively free from blight.
Have you ever noticed how much better pears the “Dago”
sells you at 5 cents each are than those your home folks offer?
They are usually the same variety. The difference in the flavor
of the pear is in the manner of ripening them. Pears to be at
their best should be gathered as soon as ripe and wrapped in
paper and put in a dark cellar to mellow up.
26 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
PLUMS.
All the following are well tried sorts.
RED JUNE.—Imported in the eighties from Japan. Tres
vigorous, productive. Fruit medium to large; clingstone; skin
red; quality fair to good; firm. Market. Season early
ABUNDANCE.—Imported from Japan in 1884. Tree vigor-
ous, productive. Fruit large; clingstone; skin yellowish red;
quality good to very good; firm. Market and home. Season,
early. In most sections considered better than Burbank for home
purposes, but not so good for market.
BURBANK.—Introduced into the United States from Japan
about twenty-five years ago. Tree vigorous and productive. Fruit
large; clingstone; skin dark red; quality good; firm. Market and
home. Season, late.
WICKSON.—Originated by Luther Burbank and introduced
about twenty years ago. Tree moderately vigorous. Fruit very
large; clingstone; skin dark red; firm. Season, late.
WILD GOOSE.—Originated in Tennessee and introduced
about 1850. Tree vigorous; productive if other varieties are
near by. Fruit medium; clingstone; skin yellowish red; quality
mediocre. Not very firm but has tough skin and ships well. Mar-
ket and home. Season, early.
~ GOLD.—Originated by Luther Burbank of California some
years ago and introduced by Stark Bros. Tree undersized but
healthy; productive. Fruit medium to large; clingstone; skin
rich yellow. Season, late.
CHERRIES:
EARLY RICHMOND.—Earliest and one of the best varie-
ties. Medium size; pale red.
DYEHOUSE.—Fruit large; quality good. Early.
LARGE MONTMORENCY.—Fruit large, skin dark red.
Quality good. Ten day later than Richmond.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 27
APRICOTS.
MOOREPARK.—Large, nearly round, orange, freestone.
with a rich high flavor. The best.
ALEXANDER.—Large, sweet and juicy. Ripens early.
BOSTON NECTARINE.—Tree and fruit both very closely
resemble peach, except that there is no fizz on the fruit. Fruit
as large as medium size peach. Red, freestone. Flavor similar
to an apricot. Every home should have a half dozen Nectarine
trees.
FRUITS FOR THE FAMILY
Have you forgotten your boyhood days? ‘Those days of
joyous youth, when, through the woods and in every old field
and fence corner you raided in search of fruit? How every
bite was relished! If there was no fruit on the home place,
lo you remember how strong the temptation was to ‘‘hook’’
these delicious, red-cheeked beauties, and when they were once
devoured, how the spirit of full-stomachness persuaded you
that somehow, as these good things made a fellow feei so good,
it could not be bad to take them?
Why are children so hungry for fruit? Is it not because
their growing systems require the particular kind of nourish-
ment which fruits aione supply? Meats and bread supply mus-
«le and heat to the body, with a very little brain and nerve food.
Fruits supply muscle, brain and nerve food, with very little
fats or heating property. This is why hard-working men live
mainly on bread and meat, while school children, with their
growing nervous systems and busy httle brains, will almost
starve for fruit.
We need meat in the winter; therefore, nature has arranged
it so we could ‘‘slay and eat,’’ and the meat would keep. ‘The
same wise Providence has so fixed it that every industrious
man could supply his family with an abundance of nice, ripe
fruits fresh from the trees and vines at any and all times from
May to November,
28 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
GRAPES.
CONCORD.—Black, fair size, hardy. Succeeds everywhere.
Been planted for sixty years and there is now more Concords
planted than all other varieties together.
NIAGARA.—Hardy white grape of good quality.
MOORE’S EARLY.—Large early black grape. One of the
best.
WORDEN.—Resembles Concord.
IVES.—Small black grape of extra keeping qualities and
good flavor.
AGAWAM.—Hardy red grape; excellent flavor.
MOORE’S DIAMOND.—Clear skin, hardy white grape of
good quality.
STRAWBERRIES.
MICHEL EKARLY.—One of the best early strawberries of
fair size.
EXCELSIOR.—Very popular early variety.
GANDY.—One of the best late varieties.
BLACKBERRIES.
KARLY HARVEST.— Season Mery early. Most desirable
sort for the Southwest.
SNYDER.—Large; late; good flavor.
* McDONALD.—A new sort, said to be a cross between the
dewberry and blackberry. Bush vigorous; productive. Fruit:
large; quality good.
DEWBERRIES.
AUSTIN (Mays).—Fruit very large and fine flavor. Dur-
ing the past two dry years bore twice as much fruit as any other
dewberry or blackberry on our place. Ripens very early.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 29
LUCRETIA.—Large; one week later than Austin and of
equal value except in dry years.
RASPBERRIES
KANSAS.—Hardiest and best of black raspberries.
TURNER.—Hardiest and best of red raspberries.
THREE VALUABLE NEW BERRIES
IMPROVED JUNEBERRY.—This is one of the best berries
for Oklahoma. It originated in the West and is unusually well
adapted to dry climates. The bush is of the sarvis and hickle-
berry type and the fruit resembles these two fruits very much
both in flavor and appearance. Bears very young, and makes an
attractive shrub which yields abundant crops of fruit.
LOGANBERRY.—Originated in California in 1882. Sup-
posed to be a cross between the dewberry and raspberry. Vine
vigorous, hardy, productive. This promises to be a very valuable
addition to our assortment of berries.
GIANT HIMALAYA.—This wonderful berry was recently
introduced from the Himalaya Mountains. It grows like a grape
vine and should be trained to a trellis. The plant is extreme}:
hardy and for rapid growth it has no equal. The bloom is shell
pink, the size of a peach bloom. The fruit is large, resembles
the blackberry, and is of excellent flavor.
PIE PLANT.
We are growing the Linnaeus and Victoria. Both are hardy
and of about equal merit. Success with pie plant depends on
deep and thorough preparation, and the soil should be of extra
fertility.
30 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
Sein ad — = 4
Home of Jim Parker, Tecumseh, Okla.
California Privet in front. Everblooming Roses to the left.
ROSES
The love of the beautiful is implanted in the heart of
every child. How eagerly the little feet run in search of the
first flowers of spring. Farm boys and girls love the flowers and
they should have them. There is something in their beauty
and fragrance attuned to the deeper, nobler chords of youthful
nature. The tragedy of the brightest boys and girls rushing
from the farms to the cities would be greatly lessened if those
same bright boys and girlS were given an opportunity to grow
the flowers they love. Roses will bloom six months in the year
out of doors, and every farmer owes it to the bright side of h*-
own nature, to his growing boys and girls, and to the good wife,
who sees too little of things beautiful, to provide for his’: home
a bed of Everblooming Roses.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 31
HOW TO PLANT
You will have very poor success with roses if you try to grow
them one in a place, surrounded by the grass of the front yard.
You shoul select good soil, either in the yard or garden, at some
place where you can cultivate it. The ground should be spaded
twelve inches deep an made very rich. The roses_ should be
planted either in a square or circle and the roses stand about
two anda half feet apart. Plant deeply, firm the soil thorough
ly around them and then water heavily. Cut back to withia
two to four inches of the ground. If planting is done in the
fall, cover roses entirely over with soil, which should be remov-
ed before growing time in the spring. Give good clean cultiva-
tion during the whole of the summer. You will have constant
blooming if you provide conditions under which roses will
grow. Before the cold weather of winter, everblooming roses
should be cut back to within four to six inches of the ground
and entirely covered with earth or leaves to protect them dur-
ing the winter. There is about one year in four in Oklahoma
when everblooming roses would be killed if not covered. If
there was no danger of winter killing, roses should be cut back
every year, as it causes them to make a much more thrifty
growth the following year and the blooms are always on the
new growth.
The following varieties are hardy and furnish an assortment
of colors. They will bloom from early May until they are killed
by freezing weather. Many years we have more roses the first
week in November than any other time of the year.
SIX HARDY EVERBLOOMING ROSES
METEOR.—tThe best of all velvet red roses. Flowers are
medium size, very double, and beautiful in form. Very thrifty
and prolific bloomer.
AMERICAN BEAUTY.—Is a hardy rose of the largest size.
Its color is a deep red, shading to a rich carmine crimson; very
fragrant.
32 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
ETOILE DE LYON.—A superb yellow rose with stems
which resemble the rubber stemmed artificial rose. Thrifty
grower, blooming from Springtime until Frost.
FRANCISCA KRUGER.—A favorite rose and the most sat-
isfactory variety in its color. Strikingly handsome, blending
deep yellow with coppery yellow and buff. The buds are long
and fine.
KASERINE AUGUSTA VICTORIA.—Is celebrated for its
beautiful long pointed buds and full double flowers. Color
creamy white; fragrant; a good bloomer. _
PAUL NEYRON.—A very fine hardy rose. The largest
rose grown; often measures from four to six inches. Color,
bright glistening pink.
THREE HARDY CLIMBING ROSES
The Yellow Rambler, White Rambler and Crimson Rambler
are all suitable for training on porch or trellis or for any purps.
for which a strong growing climbing rose is needed. They pro-
duce a very heavy bloom and are usually at their best on Decora-
tion Day.
HONEYSUCKLE
CHINESE.—A hardy vine with bright green foliage. Ver
fragrant bloom.
HALL’S JAPAN.—Even in cold climates this vine holds its
leaves until January; in the South it is evergreen. It is the
freest-growing and blooming sort of all, showing fragrant flow-
ers of buff and white from May until December in our latitude.
WISTARIA—CHINESE PURPLE
One of the most elegant and rapid growing of all climbing
plants; attains an immense site, growing at the rate of 15 to 20
feet in a season. Bears an abundance of long pendulous clust-
ers of purple flowers in May and June and again in Autumn.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 3
ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS
ALTHAE.—Double white and double red. Bloom late in
summer. Flowers are like the Hollyhock in form. The shrub
attains a height of from ten to twelve feet.
SNOW BALL.—A well known shrub growing six to ten feet
high, producing its snowy white flowers in large balls or masses
in April.
SYRINGA.—Sometimes called Mock Orange on account of
the flowers resembling the orange blossoms. Blooms in May.
JAPAN QUINCE.—Sometimes called Burning Bush on ac-
count of its dazzling scarlet flowers which appear in great abund-
ance early in the spring. Very hardy.
CRAPE MYRTLE.—A beautiful shrub, continuous bloomer.
Flowers pink, crimson or white, with curiously crimped leaves.
WEGELIA ROSEA:—Dwarf shrub. Blooms May, June
and July. Flowers pink.
LILAC.—An early blooming shrub. Very hardy.
HEDGE
CALIFORNIA PRIVET.—Makes the best and most beauti-
ful hedge. Valuable also as an ornamental shrub as it is almost
an evergreen and can be trimmed to any desired form.
“There is fine patience and broad charity in the man who plants a tree;
No single action better typifies the puprose of our living.
He who plants a tree plants shade, rest, hope, love, peace for troubled
ones who will come his way when he is gone,
There is nothing in which God asks so little and gives so much, as in the
planting of a tree.
o4
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
Corner in our block of 40,000 four-year-old shade trees
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 35
ORNAMENTAL AND SHADE TREES ADAPTED TO
OKLAHOMA
“Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree
The Village Smithy stands.”
Longfellow would have forgotten the Smithy and the Smith
had it not been for that big shade tree. How many places along
life’s: journey we remember as pleasant just because there was
a tree or a group of trees there. They make a place look home-
like and the shade is so inviting and restful that like Riley, the
Hoosier poet, we exclaim:
“Spread them shadders anywhere,
I'll git down and waller there.”
Go into the cities in warm weather and you will see them:
sprinkling the streets to cool and moisten the air. In God’s
great out of doors the trees are pumping the water from the
earth and evaporating it into the air. A twelve inch tree will
liberate two hundred gallons of water into the air daily. The
health and comfort of cities would be greatly enhanced by the
planting of more trees. Every city should have a park commis-
sion empowered with full control of street planting of trees.
Non-resident and speculative interests should not be permitted
to interfere with the promotion of public health and comfort nor
mar the beauty of a city. The problem should be handled as
the sidewalk problem is now handled.
VARIETIES ORNAMENTAL TREES
MAPLE.—Common sort seen in our cities. Grows rapid'y
and is one of the best trees for street planting.
AMERICAN WHITE ELM.—Grows much more rapidly than
the native Red Elm. Adapts itself to any soil or season. The
most valuable shade tree grown. One hundred years from plant-
ing will still be healthy and beautiful.
36 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
LOCUST.—A valuable timber tree. Considered one of the
best for street planting on hard soils and on the prairies of:
Western Oklahoma. Grows very rapidly.
CATALPA.—A valuable timber tree. Rapid grower and
satisfactory for street planting, on any soil. Blooms profusely
and its long bean-like pods add greatly to its striking appear-
ance.
BOX ELDER.—Very rapid grower. Makes a dense shade
ASH.—Rapid grower. Stands extremes of hot and cold
dry and wet weather well and is a good tree either for street or
lawn planting.
SUGAR MAPLE.—In some parts of the country the manu-
facture of sugar from this tree is quite an industry. It grows
rather slow, but its exceptionally dense foliage and compact form
makes it one of the most valuable trees for beautifying the lawn.
SYCAMORE.—A strong grower and long lived tree.
CAROLINA POPLAR.—Remarkable for its erect growth
and tall spire-like form.
UMBRELLA CHINA.—Most beautiful of all shade trees but
winter kills badly.
NUT TREES
PECANS.—Too well known in Oklahoma to need description.
We can supply either seedlings from selected seed or the best
named sorts of Paper Shelled Pecans.
BLACK WALNUT.—This should be classed as one of our
best shade trees. There is an inexplainable coolness about tke
shade of the walnut tree. Is it a deception of our senses caused
by the peculiar aroma of the leaves, or does that fragrance a..
tually produce a chemical effect on the air which makes it cooler?
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 37
Instructions on the Planting and Care
of Orchards
PREPARED WITH A VIEW TO THE NEEDS OF
OKLAHOMA PLANTERS
REMARKS
In preparing these instructions we have tried to keep
in mind the man who knows nothing about fruit growing,
to begin with the beginning, and tell in as direct a way as pos-
sible what we believe to be the best methods of planting and
earing for fruit trees and plants in Oklahoma. ‘Thousands
of farmers own farms and are planting orchards in Oklahoma
who have had no previous experience in fruit growing. Others
still have come from sections where the climatic conditions are
so unlike those in Oklahoma that their experience counts for
little. It is to assist in supplying this need that these instruc-
tions were prepared,
Do you realize that plants are imbued with life very simi-
iar in all its functions to animal life? When you plow, do you
see only the dry dirt, and never wonder at the transformation
of inanimate dust to the delicious fruit of the tree and the
flowers that no artist can equal for their beauty? Have you
seen the grain of corn come up and change to food for man,
and know nothing more about cultivation except that you
plowed to keep the weeds down? Do you walk the earth and
behold its clothing of green, trimmed with fragrant flowers
more beauteous than the robes of Solomon, and regard the
earth as merely a solid place on which to place your feet, in-
stead of as being a part of the immense design, a link in the
chain of that universal life which binds us all to God?
38 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
Plants grow, but can you tell me from whence they procure
their food, from earth or air? If you are so sure that they
get their food from the earth, can you not tell whether this
rood, when taken from the earth, is already digested or whether
there is some part of the tree or plant that corresponds with
the stomach of animals? Which will drink the most water on
a hot day: a thousand-pound horse or a thousand-pound tree?
There is two and one-half feet of rainfall all over your place,
but do you know how to manage the soil so that your or-
chard and berry patch may have water during the hot weather
when they need it most?
Pa
Face ANS SRS
DRIFT TO CITIES
There seems to be a tendency among the farming classes
to believe that study is not necessary in order to become a suc-
cessful farmer. As a result of this mistaken idea, the farms
are sending their best brains to the city. No sooner does a
community note that a young man has ability to acquire a
“common school education than the farmers begin to speculate
‘on the profession that young man should choose. Thus, from
year to year, we are sending thousands of our brightest young
men to the city to increase the ranks of those who live by spec
ulation and not by production. The more dealers there are
in proportion to the number of customers, the higher prices
- does the purchaser have to pay. All must live. It is with
farming as it is with all other professions. The clear head,
the firm resolve, the unerring judgment that succeeds.
PHILOSOPHY OF CONTENTMENT
There are many improvements that would be made were it
not for the fact that so many people are dissatisfied. To be sat-
isfied is something that may not be obtained by going a globe-
trotting. The only way is to decide quickly on a place and on
a profession and go to work. The land of milk and honey
seems always just beyond. The man who keeps moving and
iooking for something better is never satisfied until he settles
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 39
down in some place even worse discouraged than ever, and,
out of sheer desperation, decides that he will settle down and
begin in earnest to fix up just such a home as he would lke
to have in that ideal country. As he gets things nearer and
nearer to his notion, he becomes more and more interested, and
finally gets to love the place from association and from the
fact that he has made it a home worthy to be loved. Then he
looks back over the past and sees that he could have built as
good a home in any of the previous places he has lived. His
hind sights are all right.
NOBILITY OF LABOR
There is no difference in the nobility of labor. The man
who follows the plow, changing the seemingly lifeless earth
to food and beauty for the enjoyment and support of mankind,
is doing his duty and fulfilling the designs of his Creator, just
2s much as the man who sells goods, serves his country in pub-
lic office, or whose voice is heard from pulpit or before the
courts of justice, and in the great day his reward will be ac-
cordingly. In fact, it is so now. Happiness is a delusive qual-
ity. It is not purchased with gold, with knowledge or with
fine acquisitions. It is largely within your own heart and your
own consciousness, and when you seek it elsewhere you do not
find it.
The price of honor is honesty. The price of contentment
is industry. The price of happiness is being willing to give
back to the world full measure in service for all joys received.
A man seventy-five years of age said to me: ‘‘I can hardly
expect at my age to live to eat fruit from those trees, but I
want to leave with the world payment for the good things which
other men provided for me. As a boy, I enjoyed fruits planted
by others, and I want to repay the debt by leaving something
for others to enjoy.’’ It is something akin to this spirit which
makes us all like to see the trees grow.
4() FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
In presenting these instructions, we earnestly request that
{he most careful attention be paid to every detail, unless there
is something advised that you know to be wrong, in which case
it would be regarded as a favor if you will write the author,
_ Stating im what he is wrong and why he is wrong.
There is no great mystery about fruit-growing, but only
the necessity for common sense, industry and punctuality that
is necessary for the growth of other crops. ‘These instruc-
tions have been prepared with a view to make them as direct
und plain as possible, and space will not admit of us entering
jnore tully into the laws of plant life that render certain meth-
ods of planting or cultivation of the soil necessary.
HEELING IN TREES
Don’t take the nurseryman’s plant as you see it on delivery
day. ‘Trees must have soil touching the roots, and this is im-
possible when they are in bales. Dig a ditch fifteen inches
deep, cut all the string and separate the bunches, and dip the
roots of the trees in water. Ilace the trees in the ditch, with
the tops leaning to the south. Cover the roots well with fine
soil and pack it down firmly. Then pour on enough water to
thoroughly wet the soil around the roots. ‘Chen hill up the dirt
around the trees, so it will extend at least one foot on the bod-
ies of the trees. If there is not rainfall enough to keep the
ground thoroughly wet, water the trees every week. ‘his is
absolutely necessary in order to keep them in good condition.
Water is just as necessary to the life of trees as it is to the life
of a horse, and it is just as absurd to complain at the nursery-
man because your trees have wilted after standing for a month
or more in a dry soil without being watered, as it would be to
complain at the man you bought a horse of if you should let
him go without water for a week. ‘The horse and the trees
would both look wilted from the same cause, lack of sensible
care.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD Al
Peach trees should be heeled in with tops leaning as de-
seribed for other trees and should be entirely covered with
earth. This method is the sure way for all trees unless you
are certain you can water them punctually and plentifully. If
trees are left in the bundles only temporarily, the bundle should
he entirely covered with earth.
Berry plants may be kept a little while by separating the
bunches, dipping the roots in water and then heeling in, so the
dirt will be well around the roots of each plant. If they have
to remain more than a few days, cover with a thin layer of
straw and keep them watered. |
HOW TO RESTORE DRY TREES
If, through improper heeling or neglect to water during
the winter, your trees show shriveled buds and wilted branches,
don’t become discouraged and try to argue yourself in laying
the blame on the nurseryman. The matter may not be so zeri-
ous as it séems. Probably the trees just need swelling out for
ithe same reason that a horse without water would need a drink.
The best way to do this is to open up a ditch and lay the trees
in it, then wet them thoroughly and cover them entirely up
with soil. ‘Let them remain in this position for from two to
seven days} or until the wilted appearance has left them.
TIME TO PLANT
Much more depends upon the condition of the trees, the con-
dition of soil and the manner in which the work is done, than
upon the time in which trees are planted. For successful plant-
ing trees should be in dormant condition, the ground should he
moist, but not wet, and care should be taken to firm soil par-
ticles around the roots. Trees can be planted in Oklahoma at
any time from November Ist to April 1st, and if the trees are
kept in dormant condition may be planted up to the Ist of May.
Trees cannot be dug fresh from nursery rows and transplanted
with success later than the Ist of April, and many seasons not
that late. Trees dug in the fall or early winter and planted at
42 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
——
that time, or kept in dormant condition until planting time by
healing in the ground or in good storage house, will give better
results than trees dug fresh from the nursery rows in the
Spring, because they will have had time for the roots to callous
ready to commence growth. The best advice about the time to
plant is—don’t delay from week to week and from season to seg-~
son. Do it NOW!
PREPARATION OF SOIL
A very large portion of the complaints against nurseryimen
on account of trees not living long have no toundation, except
that the planter does not properly prepare his ground before
setting the trees. Fruit trees must remain on the same ground
Yor a number of years, indeed, for a lifetime, and it is there-
fore of the utmost importance that the ground be properly pre-
pared before planting an orchard.
Root systems of trees go after the plant food in the soil
wherever that may be. If it is old land with no plant food
deeper than six inches, and the under layers otf subsoil ren-
dered almost impenetrable by repeated turning of the land
to a certain depth, trees will not root deeply, however ‘‘whole-
rooted’’ they may be. forms of the root systems of trees are
governed chiefly by the distribution of plant food in the soil.
if the plant food is in the upper six inches, the root system
will be in the upper six inches, If the soil is rich in plant food
twelve or eighteen inches deep, the root system of the tree will —
be distributed to that depth.
If you want deep-rooted trees heh ail be long lived and
stand the drouth, the one thing that must be done is to work
the ground deep before planting. Then cultivate deep for two
or three years after planting, gradually getting farther and
farther from the trees as they grow. Now, please remember
that this deep cultivation is for the soil before planting, and
for the trees for the first two or three years after planting only.
After the trees are large enough to bear, the habits of the root
systems are already formed, and it would do only injury to go
in and tear them up.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD AS
The foregoing has been written with a view to the needs
of orchards, but it applies with almost equal force to the prep-
aration of the soil for berries and grapes. The better the prep-
aration, the better the results. Suecess in fruit growing de-
pends very much on a proper beginning.
DISTANCES FOR PLANTING
If we could speak the word, and, Aladdin-like, an apple
orchard would spring into existence, we would say, just plant
them fifty trees to the acre. But we cannot do this, and if
orchards are planted fifty trees to the acre, some will die before
they reach full bearing age and the orchard will not have
enough trees, and, besides, trees do just as well seventy-five
trees to the acre till they are almost fifteen years of age. By
this time, we will have received several paying crops, and even
if we have lost some trees, there will be enough left to produce
a profitable crop. The replanting of orchards that have reached
bearing age is seldom a success. For these reasons, we say,
plant not Jess than seventy-five apple trees to the acre. We
prefer planting apple trees twenty-one feet by thirty feet apart,
which would make seventy-five trees to the acre. Let the rows
running north and south be thirty feet, and the rows east and
west twenty-one feet. Trees planted this way will protect each
other to some extent both from sun and wind. If a few trees
die out when they begin to bear, they need not be replaced, as
the space will be fairly well taken up.
For peach trees, we would advise thirty by fifteen feet, or
some modification of that plan. If a large commercial orchard,
and there was no doubt of it bemg cultivated, whether other
crops were planted or not, then my advice would be twenty-one
feet seven inches by fifteen feet, which would be exactly 150
trees to the acre. In common farm practice, the odds are more
than-ten to one that cultivation will cease as soon as other crops
cannot be grown in connection with cultivation of orchard, and
this is one reason for advising wider rows one way and suffi-
cient space to cultivate some crop. One of the mysteries of
44 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
experience in the orchard business is why a man will cultivate
a plat of land while trees are young tor a crop of cotton or corn
worth $15 per acre, but will not cultivate the orehard wheu it
comes into bearing, and the mcreased yield from care would
make him five times the value of common crops.
NUMBER OF TREES TO AN ACRE
30 by 30 feet, 50 appie.
380 by 21 feet, 75 apple or peacn.
24 by 24 feet, 75 apple or peacn.
21 by 21 feet, 100 peach, appie, pear.
380 by 15 feet, 100 peach, pear, pium.
21 by lo feet, 150 peach, pear, plum.
lo by 15 feet, 200 pium or dwart pear.
10 by 10 feet, 435 grape.
8 by 8 feet, 680 grape.
7 by 3% feet, 1,800 blackberries, dewberries.
7 by 2. feet, 3,100 blackberries, dewberries.
4 by 4 feet, 2,700 dewberries.
3144 by 144 feet, 8,300 strawberries.
Rule.—Multiply the distance in feet between the rows by
the distance the plants are apart in the rows, and the product
will be the number of square feet for each plant or hill, which,
divided into the number of feet in an acre (43,560), will give
the number of trees or plants to the acre.
HOW TO PLANT APPLE, PEACH, PEAR, PLUM, CHERRY
Lay off the rows with stakes and a plow, and be sure to get
them straight. The saving of labor in cultivation will pay you
many times for all care taken in this way, even if we say noth-
ing about the improved appearance of the orchard.
Dig the holes deeper and larger than is necessary to admit
the roots in their natural position, keeping the surface soil and
subsoil separate. In heavy, close soils the larger the holes are
dug, the better, but I do not recommend spading out those
- “three foot square’’ holes. If it is really necessary to prepare
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 45
the root bed in this way, it is much more economical to use a
subsoil plow and dig the holes as big as the orchard, or in other
words, to stir the whole of the ground to the desired depth.
Cut off all broken and bruised roots, with the slant from
the under side, but, otherwise, do as little root trimming as
possible.
Don’t let the trees be exposed to the sun and air while you
are at work planting. Many trees are ruined by letting them
lie around for several hours in the sun.
Dip the roots of the trees in water or thin mud just before
planting.
Fill in the bottom of the hole with surface soil, and place
the tree at a depth so that after the earth is filled in it will set
about two inches deeper than it did when in the nursery. In
hard, heavy soils the trees should be planted at the same depth
as they stood in the nursery, but in sandy soils should be plant-
ed from two to six inches deeper.
Work the soil thoroughly among the roots, being careful
+o keep them in their natural position, and fill the hole up level
with the top of the ground.
Take a maul and beat the earth firmly around the roots of
the trees, till they set as firm as a post. Nurserymen use the
maul a great deal in the planting of young trees. The reason
for this is that the soil particles must lie very close to the roots
of trees or they cannot absorb the moisture, and as we do not
often have rains in Oklahoma after the trees are planted in
the fall, we must pack the earth around the roots, or they will
not be properly nourished, even if the ground has sufficient
moisture. Should the ground be wet enough at the time of
planting so that this mauling makes the dirt stick together, do
not do any mauling, but plant the trees without the maul. How-
ever, if there is not a heavy rain so as to pack the earth. the
mauling should be done in a week or so after the trees are set,
and then throw loose dirt around the trees to a depth of four
inches.
After having packed the earth with a maul, pour on about
a gallon or more of water to the tree, and cover the whole over
A6 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
with four inches of loose soil.
If the winter is very dry, look over your orchard and see
if there are any buds shriveling; if so, water the trees. It
won’t cost half a cent to the tree to do this, and will be much
cheaper than losing a part of the trees and not getting as good
growth on the others.
Don’t put manure in the holes around the roots of the trees,
but use it on the surface as mulching.
HOW GROWTH IS ACCOMPLISHED
The feeding of trees and plants is accomplished by the ab-
sorption of water by the roots. This water, or sap, might be
compared to a very thin soup. By some force closely akin to
that which makes the blood circulate in your body, this plant
tood is continually being carried upward. The warmth of the
sun evaporates the surplus water, or, to put it bluntly, boils
down the soup.
The contact, while in the leaves, of the food particles with
eertain properties in the air, changes the form of the food par-
ticles to adapt them to the particular needs of the tree or plant;
in other words, digests the food. The sap, as it flows upward,
is very much alike in plants, and does not differ very materi-
ally from the water you would leach off should you fill an ash-
hopper with finely pulverized soil and then water, and leach
off in the way your mother made lye.
LOSS OF SAP DURING WINTER
A subject about which the people seem to be in entire igno-
rance is the loss of sap from the branches of trees by evapo-
ration during the winter. An apple tree will lose one-tenth
of its weight in three days, and a peach tree about one-fifth.
For this reason, there must be thoroughly moist earth closely
packed around all the roots of the trees, so that the roots may
absorb the moisture and pass it up to the bodies of the trees
to every branch and bud, to take the place of that lost by the
evaporation. The transplanting of. the-trees has, -by cutting
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 47
away a part of the root system, reduced its means of procuring
water to just that extent. Herein les the urgent necessity for
seeing, not only that trees are well watered, but also that the
soil particles lie close enough to the roots so they may avail
themselves of this needed food and drink.
PRUNING TREES
The transplanting of trees unavoidably destroys from one-
to two-thirds of the root system, and if all the buds are left
on them, the amount of nourishment furnished will only sustain
iife under the most favorable circumstances, and if a severe
crouth comes, the trees will die for want of nourishment.
Whereas, by reducing the number of buds in proportion to the
roots, the roots will feed the remaining number well, and cause
the tree to make a good growth. If you put ten pigs in a pen,
and feed them well, they will grow; but should you take away
half the feed, you must reduce the number of pigs in the pen,
or they will only live or perhaps will starve. The principle is
ithe same with plant hfe. The transplanting of the trees has,
by reducing the root system of the tree, reduced the plant’s
means of obtaining food, and you must reduce the number
of buds to be fed if you want thriftiness of growth.
PRUNING APPLE
Apple and Pear.—One-year-old apple and pear trees should
be cut back to about two feet in length if you desire low-topped
trees. If you make the mistake of wanting high-topped trees,
the best way to start them is to cut back to fifteen inches in
length and allow only one sprout to grow the first season, and
not try to form the head of the tree till the second season.
In the prairies of western Oklahoma, where winds lean trees
badly and bodies are sometimes injured by sun scald, one-year
apple and pear trees should be headed at fifteen inches and
allowed to limb to the ground.
The standard of height for the heads of fruit trees, as deter-
mined by the average judgment of experienced fruit growers,
A8 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
is fully twelve inches lower than fifteen years ago. ‘Twenty
years ago many farmers endeavored to start first limbs high
enough that they would not skin limbs with hames while plow-
ing under the trees, Hivery experiment toward lower-headed
trees has proved for the better, and | believe the time is near
at hand when it will be said, ‘‘'l'rees need no bodies. Let them
limb from the ground up. Such trees will not be leaned by the
wind, they will not be injured by sun seald, they are easier to
prune, easier to spray, and at harvest time no ladders are
needed in gathering, and the work can be done much better
and much cheaper than on the old-fashioned, high-topped
trees.’’ Were it not that 1 would be so much at variance with
the usual advice of horticultural writers, | would give just that
advice to orchard planters now, and say that it was good ad-
vice, not only in the southwest, but any place in the United
States.
Two-year-old trees should have the side branches cut back
1o stubs two to four inches long. Varieties like Winesap, Black
Twig and trees that make open, spreading top should be cut
with terminal bud left on top of end on limb. Apple trees that
make upright growth, like Transparent and all varieties of
pear trees, should be cut back so terminal bud is on the under
side of limb. This will cause them to make open-headed trees.
PRUNING PEACH
Peach trees, on account of the more porous nature of the
bark, lose sap by evaporation much more rapidly than apple
trees, and for this reason require more severe pruning. Peach
trees should have all side branches cut to one inch, so new
limbs will start from body of the tree. If planting small or-
chard in connection with other trees, and beauty and conven-
tence of cultivation are considerable factors, top trees at twenty
er twenty-four inches, so they will have something of the ap-
yearance of other trees in the orchard. Large trees may be
used with advantage, if you want high-headed trees. If you
are planting to make most money you will get best results from
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 49
planting smaller trees that have live buds to the ground, and
head such trees at twelve or eighteen inches and let them grow
without further pruning during first season’s growth. If you
think best, remove the lower limbs during the following win-
ter. My advice is, plant trees not larger than two to three-foot
orade, and head when planted to twelve inches, and allow trees
to form limbs to the ground.
COMMON MISTAKE
One of the most common mistakes made with young trees
is to strip the leaves off the bodies of trees during the first
summer. <A little insight into the way growth is accomplished
will convince any one of the seriousness of this mistake. For
every pound of weight added to trees and plants, they absorb
through the roots from fifty to one hundred pounds of water.
This water is thrown off through the leaves during the growing
season, and certain changes in the food taken up by the roots
of the trees take place in the leaves, which correspond very
closely with digestion in animals. The receding sap builds
ap the tissues of the tree. To remove half the leaf surface is
simply to reduce the plant’s means of evaporating water and
to impair a life function similar to digestion in animals. No
summer pruning should be done on young trees.
Summer pruning, root pruning, boring holes in trees, strip-
ping the bark from the bodies and various other mutilating
processes, enthusiastically recommended by some people as
promoting fruitfulness, are of very doubtful policy. Such
treatment does cause trees to set fruit, but it is in response to
an instinct implanted by the Creator in all forms of life, which
causes all things to desire to perpetuate their species. This
shock to the life forces brings to bear all the life powers of
the tree to the production of seed. It is in response to this
same instinct which causes worm-eaten and stunted trees to
set a crop of fruit before they die.
My plan is to prune tolerably severely at the time of plant-
ing, and for the first two or three winters afterward, so as to
50 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
establish the balance between root and top, while, at the same
time, getting the tops started in the right shape, and then to
do very little pruning, except to remove water sprouts or limbs
that cross.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CULTIVATION
It is obvious that in order that a tree or plant may obtain
all the food within the reach of its roots, it should not be inter-
fered with by other growths. Hence, the necessity for keeping
the weeds down. But in our efforts to keep down the weeds
we should not lose sight of the other objects of cultivation:
First, to render the food in the soil available for the use of
plants.
Second, to conserve the moisture of the soil. When it is
taken into account that trees must use from fifty to one hun-
dred pounds of water for every pound of weight added in
gcrowth, it will be seen that the preservation of moisture is of
very great importance.
The under layers of the soil are usually as rich in plant food
as the upper soil, but it lies dormant until rendered available
by the effects of sunlight, heat and cold. This is a gradual
process. We cannot render available all the fertility in the
soil at once. If we could, our grasping age would raise one
erop equal to a thousand crops, and then the world would starve.
What we can do, and must do if we succeed with any crop, 1s
to cultivate and loosen up the soil so as to admit the air, the
sunlight and frosts. Chemical actions of these forces, gov-
erned by fixed laws, render a part of the fertility of the soil
available for plant food.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 51
View of nursery showing rows floated after plow to make
dust mulch for conservation of moisture.
HOW TO HOLD MOISTURE
There is thirty inches of rainfall in the eastern part of
Oklahoma, and the average rainfall decreases to twenty inches
in the western part. The soil is of an open, porous nature, and
nearly all the rainfall sinks into the earth. Think of it! In one
year, two and a half feet deep. In two years, over the top of
the fence. In the time since you staked your claim, enough
water has fallen on your place to drive you to the house top.
Where does it go? How does it get there? It ascends in
the form of vapor, forms into clouds and, coming into contact
with cold currents of air, is condensed and falls again in the
form of rain. Thus does the Creator carry on his immense sys-
tem of irrigation.
But our chief interest is in how the earth gives back the
water to the air?
52 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
In the explanation of the nature of plant growth, it is seen
that a very large amount of water is taken up by the roots of
trees and plants and thrown off by evaporation into the air.
/f you wish to know how much water is being used by the weeds
in your orchard, cut them from a certain fraction of an acre,
and weigh them. After one day’s exposure to the sun, weigh
again. ‘The difference in weight will show the amount of water
the weeds are using daily.
If you were to look at the earth through a magnifying glass,
you would see air cells or small openings running far down
into the earth. The harder the earth is packed by rains, the
inore perfect are these openings, and it is through these that
the water is evaporated from the earth. The way, then, to
check evaporation is to stir the soil and break up these air
vells. Moisture evaporates three times as rapidly from un-
cultivated lands as it does from a soil that has been stirred so
as to thoroughly pulverize the surface. ‘Che way, then, to con-
serve the moisture for the use of crops is to cultivate as soon
after each rain as the ground will do to work. Careful nursery-
iwwen follow the plow with a drag, which levels up and pulver-
izes the surface, thus not only checking evaporation, but break-
ing up the clods, so the sun and air, acting on them, may in-
crease the fertility of the soil. Keep in mind the forms of the
roots, so as not to destroy them, and give shallow, level culti-
vation every ten days during dry weather.
The man who goes into his orchard with a turning plow,
or into a field of coru with his cultivator after the ground is
already dry, is doing injury, instead of good; for the reason
that he is cutting away the roots at a time when the ground
is too dry for them to re-establish themselves, thus taking away
the means of life.
Hire some man to steal your turning plow, so you won’t
be tempted to let the weeds get so high that you cannot make
a sign with any other tool; otherwise, you may let the weeds
rob the trees till it is too late for plowing to do any good, and
{hen turn them under and call it cultivation. Using the mowing
machine will do more good than the turning plow.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 53
The larger the orchard gets, the better it pays to cultivate
it, for the same reason that the larger the hog, the more it eats.
CROPS FOR THE ORCHARD
Owing to the fact that a man will not work a young orchard
unless there is some other crop planted in it, I usually advise
the planting of cotton in the orchard for the first five years.
The cultivation given cotton is very much hke that needed fo:
young trees, and with a little labor of hoeing around the t e
ihey will make a first-class growth with little cost of cultivaiio::
Cotton, on account of being plowed later than corn, 1s
hetter orchard crop than corn.
Potatoes and melons are good crops for the orchard.
Peas and beans, on account of their peculiar manner of feed-
ing from the air and depositing fertility in the soil are, of
course. so far as the crops themselves go, the very best of
crops for the orchard. If you plant these crops in the orchard,
try to plant so you would be cultivating during July and the
urst of August. This is not the best way to raise peas, but it
is the best way to cultivate them for the good of the orchard.
Wheat and rye are bad crops for the orchard, except where
they are planted as winter protection for the soil and plowed
under early in April.
Oats should not be planted in an orchard. There is no
amount of hoeing around the trees or cultivation after the
crop is off that will keep an oat crop from stunting the trees.
You can raise grass in the orchard, either for hay or for
calf pasture, providing you don’t know enough to appreciate
the difference in value between one hundred pounds of grass
and one hundred bushels of apples, or of 90 cents’ worth of calf
and $100 worth of fruit.
When trees are four to six years old and are beginning to
yield a bushel or more of fruit to the tree, plant mule legs,
spring-tooth harrows and cultivators so thick that no weed
ean grow. Give clean, level surface cultivation from the first
of April or the middle of August.
Fruit trees are usually planted 100 to the acre. So you
54 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
see a crop of one bushel to the tree would yield 4,000 bushels
on forty acres. ‘Two bushels to the tree would be 8,000 bush-
els on forty acres, worth, at 50 cents per bushel, $4,000. Come
to think about it, will it not pay you to give the orchard proper
cultivation for the orchard’s sake alone?
WHY ORCHARDS ARE NEGLECTED
Does it not seem singular that it is from the very reason
that orchards are not so exacting in their demands for punctual
attention as other crops, which causes all or nearly ali of the
complaints about caring for them?
Corn, cotton, potatoes, all must be planted and cultivated
ai the right time or we fail entirely. Yet who grumbles about
these imo A man who worms tobacco every day will argue
that. orchards cannot be raised.on account of borers, though a
washing of soap and sulphur about the middle of May will keep
most of them out, and once over in September with the knife
will do the rest.
Suppose you see your neighbor sitting on the fence grum-
bling at the country because his corn looks yellow and is dying,
when, at the same time, it has not been worked since planting.
An orchard in full bearing rey wires as much food and drink
as a corn crop, yet how wor ‘erfully easy it is for a fellow to
jay the whole thing. onto the country, and claim that orchards |
are a failure. It’s human nature. When the Almighty gives a
man an inch he wants ninety feet. The very reason that a man
ean get some fruit without any work makes him want trees to
live always without work and never fail to bear.
HOW TO GROW SMALL FRUITS
GRAPES
Grapes require a warm, well-drained soil and a sunny ex-
posure. For these reasons, Oklahoma soil seems peculiarly
adapted to the growth of grapes. Grapes are usually planted
eight feet apart each way. In preparing the vines for planting,
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 5d
eut off all broken and bruised roots, and cut back the top to a
stub only two or three inches long. Dig the holes large enough
to receive the roots in their natural position, and set the vines
three or four inches deeper than they grew in the nursery; in
fact, after they are properly pruned, there should be only two
or three inches of vine showing above the ground. Beat the
earth very firmly around the roots, water and cover over with
loose soil, as directed for fruit trees.
The general rule for pruning grapes is to cut back so as to
leave from two to four joints of the previous year’s growth.
Grapes require clean, level cultivation during the whole of the
erowing season.
BLACKBERRIES
The first thing for you to do is to get the idea out of your
head that as blackberries will produce fruit without much care,
it is not necessary to cultivate them. But it is claimed some
of these wild berries, when properly cared for, are equal to
those from nurseries. If this is true, you are all the more at
fault if you do not plant a patch and eare for them. Of all the
inconsistent men I meet, the fellow that blows about his wild
berries, but won’t plant them, takes the lead. He may be a
zood soul, but he won’t help his wife rustle berries from the
woods and fence corners, believing, of course, that if he eats
them he does his part.
Blackberries should be planted in rows seven feet apart,
and the plants set from one to three feet apart in the row. If
land is scarce and you wish quick results, plant thicker. Cover
the roots a little deeper than they were before being taken up,
and pack the soil well around them. Blackberries sprout from
the roots, not from the cane which is eut off, and it is useless
except to show the location of the plant. Roots of blackberries
do not sprout early in the spring, so do not conclude that your
plants are dead if they are not green as soon as other vegeta-
tion. Hoe the weeds from around them and plow the middle
of the row, and they will come up some time in May or the first
of June, and get large enough to bear a nice crop of fruit.
56 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
Blackberries should have level, clean cultivation during the
whole of the growing season. Five plowings are usually suf-
ficient, but until the crop is off, care should be taken to thor-
oughly pulverize the surface of the soil after each rain, as this
precaution is likely to save the crop in case of drouth just at
ripening time. This means about half a day’s work on a quar-
ter of an acre, which will produce an abundance of fruit for
family use. With some varieties it is desirable to pinch off the
top bud of the canes when they are three to four feet high, in
order to make them branch, but usually those long, slim canes
are caused by plants standing too thick on the ground, and the
proper thing to do is to hoe out a portion of the young plants
just as they come up. As soon as the fruit is off the old plants
should be removed.
DEWBERRIES
Dewberries should be planted in rows seven feet apart and
three and one-half feet apart in the row. For field culture, it
is best to plant them four feet apart each way, so they can be
worked with a plow. Dewberries, like blackberries and rasp-
berries, grow vines one year, and the next year bear and die.
They are very hardy, and will grow well on any kind of soil,
and should have about the same kind of cultivation as directed
for blackberries.
' When the vines are a foot and one-half long in the summer,
cut off the end so they will branch and make strong fruit-bear-
ing buds for the next year’s crop. Dewberries, like grapes,
produce a number of berries from each bud, so don’t be afraid
of pruning them too much. Dewberries, properly cared for,
will produce from two to four quarts to the hill, and, at 15 cents
ver gallon, are worth from $200 to $400 per acre. They are
nearly twice as large, are more tender and juicy than blackber-
ries, and no home berry patch is complete without them.
RASPBERRIES.
Raspberries should be planted in rows seven feet apart, and
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 5y
the plants set three and one-half feet in the row. They should
have the same treatment as blackberries, except that they re-
auire more moisture, and the selection of land and cultivation
of raspberries should be chiefly with the view of maintaining
moisture in the soil during July and August.
GOOSEBERRIES AND CURRANTS
Gooseberries and currants should be planted in rows seven
Teet apart, and the plants set three and one-half feet apart in
ihe row. The soil must be packed very firmly around the roots.
‘n Selecting a place to plant and in cultivation, keep in view
the necessity of maintaining moisture in the soil. If you allow
ihem to get weedy in August, the dry weather will be almost
sure to kill them.
Gooseberries and currants are not very well adapted to
Oklahoma, and I would not advise their planting, except in the
eastern part of the state.
STRAWBERRIES
Ranking first in small fruits, comes the beautiful and del1-
cious strawberry. Thew grow successfully in any soil suita-
hle for garden, but for Oklahoma require a special care in
order to adapt them to the peculiar climatie conditions. They
should be planted where they can be worked with a horse and
plow, as they do not do well in beds. Lay off your rows three
and one-half feet apart with a line or light marker, and set the
plants one and one-half feet apart in the row. Make a hole
Jarge enough to receive the roots well spread out, and then
draw the dirt back to around the plant. Tamp the ground with
the foot, then water and cover over with loose earth, leaving the
top bud just above the ground.
Cultivating should begin as soon as growth commences in
the spring, and shallow, level and clean cultivation should be
siven to the middle of August, or until the fall rains begin.
After the first season you need not commence cultivation
fill after the crop is off, which will be about the first to the mid-
58 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
dle of June. Then bar off rows, hoe out the plants till they
stand six inches or a foot apart in the row, and give clean, level
eulture, as herein directed. All strawberry culture in Okla-
homa should be chiefly with the view to conserving the moisture
of the soil.
HUCKLEBERRIES, OR JUNEBERRIES
Huckleberries, or Juneberries, are not well enough known
to be properly appreciated. Several years ago they were found
¢rowing wild in western Kansas, and since have been extens-
ively planted. At six years’ planting, the bush would be about
as high as a man’s head and would have a number of small
sprouts standing around it. Every sprout will bear fruit, and
they come nearer being frost-proof and a sure crop than any
iruit I know of. 3
Plant seven feet apart, and set plants three and one-half
feet apart in the row. Give clean, thorough cultivation during
the growing season.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 59
THE FRUIT TREE AGENT
A great many of the nursery people who issue catalogues
attach great importance to the idea that the catalogue is their
only salesman. The catalogue business is a very satisfactory
way of doing an honorable business, and we expect to use the
catalogues the best we know how, but there is no special econ-
omy in catalogue business. It costs money to advertise in the
newspapers; it costs money to print catalogues, and it costs
fime and money for clerk hire and office work in making deals
by correspondence. We issue a catalogue to reach those peo-
ple whom we cannot reach personally, and for the further pur-
pose of giving instructions to our salesmen and to our custo-
mers, so they may know better how to select the best sorts of
fruit. | f
The fruit-tree agent is a much-abused person, and too often
this abuse is justified; but I must say that, based on my own
observation of more than twenty years, I am inclined to think
that, in most instances, the nursery who employs the salesman
is quite as much to blame, or even more so, than the salesman
himself. Many firms expect their salesmen to get exorbitant
prices for all stock sold, and in their effort to invent argument
by which exorbitant prices may be secured, misrepresent the
goods which their salesmen are offering. Naturally, the agent
himself believes that his employer is telling the truth. But,
in spite of all these apparent evils of the system, it does not
necessarily follow that growing and selling trees may not be
as honest employment as growing and selling corn.
The nursery business, in all its phases, is a complicated
business. We carry about 150 varieties of fruit, and in most
varieties there is a number of different grades of trees of-
fered for sale. Added to this, there are many varieties that
are profitable under certain conditions, and worthless under
others. It takes patience and hard work to learn how to sell
frees honestly and intelligently. We do find some difficulty in
60 FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD
getting men to properly prepare for the work before com-
mencing, and it is not surprising that it is difficult to get sales-
men who understand the nursery business sufficient when there
is a large per cent of farmers themselves who do not under-
stand the principles involved in growing trees. If the farmers
did understand these principles, the class of fruit-tree men
about whom there is most complaint would have to quit busi-
ness because the people would know too much to pay high prices
for hot air.
We mean to employ only men who are gentlemen in the
highest sense of the word, and if any one knows of any conduct
to the contrary by any of the men representing us, they will
eonfer a favor, not only on us, but on the public as well, by let-
ting us hear about it.
More than half of the farmers in Oklahoma need to buy a
few trees every year, and where industrious, intelligent, hon-
est men can be secured to do the work, the most satisfactory
way of making sales is to call on these people, know what they
have and what they need and take their orders for the nursery
stock to be delivered at the proper time. In this way, large
shipments can be secured for delivery at certain places, and
it works a great saving of freight and expense, and gives the
purchaser a chance to know whether or not he is getting good
trees in good condition before he pays for them. I admit that
the agent’s persuasive powers often secure orders from people
who had not originally intended to buy, but the man buying is
naking a good investment, and there are many more homes
provided with ‘fruit than would have had fruit had it not been
for the industry and persuasive powers of traveling salesmen.
On the whole, I consider the fruit-tree agent a man whose work
in the world is doing good for mankind.
FROM NURSERY TO ORCHARD 61
THE NURSERYMAN
The growing of plants and trees is the most compleated of
all agricultural work. The nurseryman puts in more labor and
spends more money on the cultivation of an acre of ground
than any other tiller of the soil.
He spends most of his days amid fragrant flowers and grow-
ing trees. His mind is employed trying to understand more
or the laws of life and growth. For him the secrets of the
beauties of nature have a peculiar fascination.
As he stirs the soil to warm it up, to dry it out, to conserve
its moisture, to give it air and sunshine, that it may unbock its
storehouse of fertility for the nourishment of hfe, and watches
its kindly response to his care, he sometimes fancies that in-
deed the earth is imbued with life and wisdom, and that the
trees and flowers he loves are to him close akin.
He looks beyond the field in which he plows, and sees the
great railways hurrying their trainloads of fruit from the
inountains of the west to the cities of the east, and it does him
good to know that his labors in the fields and his influence with
men has helped to bring into being this great wealth. And,
iooking still beyond the field of thriving enterprise, he catches
a glimpse of thousands of orchards in bloom, while ’neath the
trees the children play and ponder over the mysteries of nature,
even as he did in childhood’s happiest days, and he asks the
question: Flas not he done his part of the labor of the world;
and, for the joys of his youth provided by those who came be-
fore, given back to the world full measure?
ELMER PARKER GEORGE PARKER
Aurora, Ark. Fayetteville, Ark.
JOHN PARKER LEWIS EH. PARKER JIM PARKER
Aurora, Ark. Aurora, Ark. Tecumseh, Okla.
The Parkers are all Nurserymen and Fruit Growers. If Jim some-
times seems over enthusiastic, try to believe that the love of orchards,
trees and plants is “bred in the bone’ and he cannot help it. The name,
Parker, means one who cares for a park. This two generations seems to
have inherited the spirit of their sire of long ago, whose enthusiasm in
caring for trees was so great that his real name was dropped and that of
his occupation substituted, thus giving rise to the name Parker,
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