12 Second Annuax Report 



should be pruned, so when tlie tree sets down in the soil the cut 

 surface comes against the soil. 



Then with the tree in position, the planting gang starts in, 

 consisting of a planter and two shovelers. The planter takes 

 the tree in his hand and sets it in the hole, one shovel on either 

 side; the planter holds the tree while the shovelers place the dirt 

 on either side and around the roots ; first three or four shovels 

 full of soil should be removed from the bottom to loosen the 

 soil, then when this is replaced on the roots it is in a fine condi- 

 tion. After the tree is set in position they fill up the hole as 

 quickly as they can shovel the soil. And right here comes in the 

 need of previous preparation for planting the orchard, for then 

 they can get good soil to fill into the hole without hunting for it. 

 As fast as they shovel the earth in they should tramp it well 

 around the tree ; that is another point between the success and 

 failure. 



Plant the tree a very little deeper than it grew in the nursery ; 

 not more than an inch above the collar, the top of where the soil 

 came when it grew in the nursery. This done, make a trip 

 around the row with a plough to turn back the dead furrow. 

 It can be filled up in this way very satisfactorily. 



If the planting is done in the fall, mound up around the 

 tree to drain the water ; if the planting is done in the spring, 

 leave it shallow, so it will catch the rain, but it is important 

 to mound the earth up a little in the fall to turn the water, be- 

 cause water collecting and then freezing is pretty apt to injure 

 the young tree. 



As regards spring or fall planting; either one is all right. 

 I have done most of my planting in the fall,, and the results are 

 equally good, whether I plant in Vermont or Maryland, having 

 lost only on an average of one per cent. 



In the fall the season for planting is longer commencing as 

 soon as the trees shed their leaves and lasting until the ground 

 is frozen. And it is very apt to be the case that you can attend 

 to the matter at that season of the year better than you can in 

 the spring, because when spring opens everything is rushing, 

 and you are apt to be hindered with the planting too long. 

 But if you cannot plant in the fall, plant in the spring. It may 

 require a little different treatment and take a little more time 

 in the spring. In the fall all you have to do is to follow along 

 the lines I have spoken of, but in the spring, if it is warm and 

 dry you have to take a little more precaution ; you can do this 

 in two ways. Of course you can water, but we want to avoid 

 that if possible. Yet if it is too dry it has to be done. Then 

 there is "puddling." Dig a hole in the ground and in it mix a 

 shovelful of clay and some water — in this part of the country 



