Grapes, C x 8 to 8 x 10 feet. ■ 



Currants, 4 x 6 to 6 x 8 feet. 

 Blackberries, 4 x- 7 to 6 x 9 feet. 



Preserve the vitality of the tree if yoto would have it grow 

 jprmnptly. — In handling and setting trees how many of us bear in 

 mind that the tree is a thing with life, and that under careless treat- 

 ment the life will go out of the plant as it goes out of the animal ? 

 Trees are made up of a great number of little cells. Some of these 

 may be killed and yet the injury may be repaired by the subsequent 

 growth of the others, but let the injury pass a certain point and 

 there is no resurrection. Trees may lie around the packing shed of 

 the nurserymen ; they may remain in the bundle in the express office 

 some days before the farmer can come to town ; they may not be 

 unpacked promptly on his return from town ; and worst of all, their 

 roots may be carelessly exposed to wind and sun during the planting 

 operations. Let us avoid injuring the tree in any of these ways. 



Plant the tree firmly so that it can get hold of plant food quickly. 



— In seeding land during dry weather, why is it a good plan to roll 



the ground ? Seeds will germinate quicker because brought more 



closely into contact with the soil moisture by this packing of the 



soil particles. In planting the tree, should not the soil be packed 



tightly against the roots ? Why ? To afford mechanical support, 



to steady the tree, and to encourage roots to absorb water from soil. 



Of course good sized holes should be dug, not merely big enough to 



receive the roots, but large enough to give them friable foraging 



ground when they begin to grow. Plant an inch or two deeper 



than the tree stood in nursery. Light soil calls for deeper planting 



than heavy soil. The careful planter will use his hand to make 



sure tliat the soil is tightly packed in the forks of the roots. The 



to]) soil is richest ; fill it in first so it may be used. Should he leave 



the surface loose or firmly tramped down 1 The condition of the 



surface soil affects evaporation of soil moisture. (See Lesson 2.) 



The soil mulch is of less importance in the fall tlian it is in tlie 



spring when moisture is needed and drying winds are frequent — 



at any rate cultivation should immediately follow spring planting 



of orchard trees. 



381 



