384 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



is preferable to the peach. Trees budded to the ahnond root are good 

 producers and much longer lived than trees budded to the peach root. 



The question of planting on the square or triangular system is largely 

 a matter of choice. On the triangular system a few more trees can be 

 planted to the acre. Do not plant your trees too close together. 

 Plant anywhere from 22 to 27 or 28 feet apart. The farther apart 

 you plant, the better opportunity are you going to give the trees to 

 develop into large thrifty trees — they have more air, sun, and room 

 to develop. 



Prior to planting, plow your soil and plow deep. Plowing in the 

 orchard business does not mean skimming over the surface of the ground. 

 It means getting down from 8 to 11 inches. This can be done with a disc 

 plow and good stock. Use a sub-soil plow and put in down deep along 

 the roM's in which you are going to plant your trees, so as to break the 

 under crust and give the young root of the tree an opportunity of easy 

 growth. 



During the past few years, dynamite has been used in the starting of 

 a young orchard, with excellent results, by blowing up the hole in which 

 you are going to place a young tree. You loosen all of the soil and give 

 the root every advantage of growth. 



Planting for the most satisfactory results should be done either during 

 the latter part of December or through January or February. 



The selection of nursery stock is a very important factor toward 

 success. Select one year old trees, good clean roots and plenty of them, 

 with a straight top from four to six feet high. As soon as you get your 

 stock from the nursery, heel in the ground in good shape until such 

 time as you are ready to plant, for it must be remembered that the small 

 rootlets are very sensitive to cold or lack of moisture. 



Before planting, examine the roots closely, cutting off the bruised or 

 broken ends of the roots that have been damaged while being handled at 

 the nursery. Examine closely for blackknot or for indications of the 

 peach borer. 



Have your ground carefully laid off so that each tree may be placed 

 in its proper position. When you are ready for planting, use the 

 planting board (which is made by taking a one-inch by four-inch piece 

 of wood four feet long, cutting a notch in each end and one in the 

 center), placing it so that the stake which indicates where the tree is to 

 be set will be in the notch in the center of the board and then place a 

 stake at each notch at the ends. Remove the board and center stake 

 and you are ready to dig the hole. 



When planting, dig a hole deep enough so that when the end of the 

 long root going downward rests on the bottom of the hole, the tree will 

 rest two or three inches deeper than it did in the nursery. This means 

 that the point at which the tree is budded is just about on the surface. 

 Very great care should be taken so that the soil is well Avorked between 

 the roots, using as fine a dirt as possible, and that every root goes out 

 naturally from the tree. If this is not done and the soil is thrown 



