No. 85.] 299 



TRANSPLANTING. 



The holes for this purpose should be large^ — not less, in any case 

 whatever, than four feet in diameter ; and if six feet, they would be 

 better. The depth need not be more than fifteen inches. These 

 large holes, then, being filled with rich mold, or soil very thoroughly 

 intermixed with well rotted manure, will cause the young trees to grow 

 twice as fast, for a few of the first years, as if merely set out in common 

 soil, with digging small holes. That is, a tree which, with this good 

 treatment, would bear a bushel of apples five years after transplant- 

 ing,*— would probably require ten years to yield the same crop, with 

 bad treatment, other things being the same. 



Does the cost of such large holes startle any one ? Then let him 

 calculate the difference in the results, and compare them. A good 

 hand will dig a hundred holes, six feet in diameter, in eight days j 

 and cart them full of rich earth or muck in four days more — making 

 twelve days in all — which, with the use of the team, would be worth 

 eleven dollars. f He would dig a hundred small holes in four days, 

 costing three dollars : difference between the two modes, eight dollars. 

 Transplanting and all other treatment being the same, the first or- 

 chard would bear a bushel a tree in about one-half the time required 

 by the latter : that is, the one would yield a hundred bushels in five 

 years, while the other would produce the same at the end of ten 

 years. After the five years, the product of the first would rapidly 

 increase ; so that the crop would, perhaps, be about 120 the sixth 

 year, — 150 the seventh, — 190 the eighth, — 240 the ninth, — and 300 

 the tenth, — making 1000 bushels in all. These, at twenty cents per 

 bushel, would be worth two hundred dollars ; which would be 

 one hundred and eighty more than the product of the other or- 

 chard ; and which would overbalance, more than twenty times, 

 the cost of digging large holes. The fruit would also be of a finer 

 quality. 



But the busy season of autumn and spring will not allow many to 

 expend so much labor, at that time. The work, however, need not 

 be done at that time. I have had holes six or seven feet in diameter, 

 dug in the depth of winter, when the soil happened to be slightly fro- 



• Which I have known to be the case, when holes six or seven feet in diameter were 

 dug. 



t There is generally enough muck or waste rich earth on a farm, for tliis purpose, cost- 

 ing, nothing. 



