1894 MEEHANS NURSERIES (CLASSIC REPRINT)

Excerpt from 1894 Meehans NurseriesIn the rush and turmoil of the 19th century, is there any one who takes the time to read the preface of a catalogue? We doubt it, - but yet upon the chance that some one will read it we want to talk, not upon the extent of our nurseries or the many years that we have been actively engaged in nursery work, but upon the quality oi the stock we send out, upon the care we take to produce the finest grade of stock, and the jealous watch we keep to see that our stock 13 true to name.Of what use is it to buy trees which are of weak, sickly growth and in a low state of vitality? Such trees cannot recover from the effects of transplanting for several years thereafter, and if they are of large size, the time will be even longer. But what of the trees that have had care and attention from the time they were small, - stimulated to growth by yearly applications of manure, and the soil cultivated each. Season as carefully as for a crop of corn, potatoes or other garden vegetables. Such trees will have strong, heavy roots, with plenty of fibres, and will be in a better condition to resist the action of transplanting than those that have not had this care and attention.A man in poor health, with a low or weak constitution, will not recover from a surg ical operation, which has taken off his leg or arm, as quickly as one who 15 strong, vigorous, and in the highest state of health, and it cannot be expected that a tree in the same con dition would do any better, - yet many people buy such trees, because they are low priced, and expect them to do as well as those in the highest state of health and cultivation, - and which cannot be sold at such figures. The very fact that a tree is low 1n pr