It is important, on many accounts, to have fruit-trees and shrubs well
labelled. Many labels have been invented. We prefer Cole's, as given in
his Fruit Book, to any other. Take a piece of sound pine or other soft
wood, whittle two sides smooth, leaving one wider than the other, with a
sharp corner between them. For one, cut one notch in the edge, and so up
to four, four notches for four. For five, cut across the narrow side.
For ten cut across the wide side, and a notch for every ten up to forty.
For fifty, cut obliquely across the narrow side, and for one hundred cut
obliquely across the wide side. Keep the names in a book, with numbers
corresponding with the notches or numbers on the labels.
Fasten these to trees, loosely, by a small copper or brass wire.
Transported to any distance, exposed to any weather, or buried in the
ground, they will not be obliterated. Pieces of sheet lead, tin, or
zinc, cut wide at one end, and written on with a sharp awl, and narrow
at the other end, to be bent around a limb, will answer a pretty good
purpose. Any soft wood, made smooth, and a little white paint applied,
and written on with a good pencil, will preserve the mark for a long
time. Fasten with small wire. There are many labels, but we know none
preferable to the above. By all means make labels accurate and
permanent. Otherwise great losses may occur by budding or grafting from
wrong varieties.