236 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



be exactly straight, but it is essential that the stakes be set perpendicu- 

 lar. With the stakes thus placed, the proper location of any tree in the 

 field can be easily found, thus the hole-digger may use his shovel handle 

 as a temporary stake and align it with two stakes in each of the two 

 directions at right angles. The location of the handle indicates the 

 center of the hole. In planting, the tree should be used as a temporary 

 stake and aligned with two stakes in each of two directions at right 

 angles. In this method any number of men may plant trees in the field 

 at the same time, and the work may begin in any part of the field. 

 When the planting is completed the stakes stand as a test of the 

 thoroughness of the work done. 



In the planning and planting of the hexagonal system, this plan may 

 be used. As many stakes should be provided as there are trees to be 

 planted. A wire should be prepared of the exact length that the trees 

 are to be planted apart, and a ring or loop twisted in at each end by 

 which the operator may hold it. After the base line is established, and 

 stakes are planted along it just where each of the first row of trees wjll 

 stand, one person (A) slips a finger through the ring at one end of the 

 wire and another person (B) runs a small stick through the ring at 

 the other end. (A) then puts his ring at the first stake in the base 

 line, (B) steps to where he supposes the first tree of the second row will 

 be and strikes a small segment of a circle upon the ground. Then (A) 

 goes to the second stake in the first row and holds his end of the wire 

 exactly to it. (B) describes another small segment of a circle from that 

 stake, and where these two segments cross, a stake must be driven and 

 this is the location of the first tree in the second row. Likewise these 

 two operators may find the location of each tree in the second, third, 

 fourth rows, etc., using each row in turn as a base line. Before doing 

 any planting, the whole field should be measured and staked in the above 

 way. If the work is done carefully the trees will be found to be in 

 very straight rows in every way. 



PLANTING THE TREE. 



The ground should be smooth and in good tilth. Plowing along the 

 line of tree rows may lessen the hand labor somewhat, and afford opy)oi-- 

 tunity for surface drainage, but the holes must be dug by hand. The 

 harder the ground, the wider and deeper the holes should be. In all 

 cases they should be wide and deep enough to receive all the roots 

 of the tree without it being necessary to crowd or twist them, it 

 the bottom is hard, it should be picked until it is mellow, or some loose 

 surface soil should be thrown in. Never throw coarse manure or sods 

 into the bottom of the hole, hoping to furnish humus and fertility in 

 the tree. While they are decomposing, they absorb moisture and cause 

 heating, which is sure to injure the roots of the tree. 



When the young tree is dug in the nursery, a portion of the root 



