362 



Journal of Ai^riiidture . Yicti'riii. [10 June. 191 i. 



that may be the means of keeping it other than straight. Lift the peg 

 attached to one end of the line, shake up the hotter once or twice vertically, 

 draw taut, and replace. Two or three weights should then be placed 

 upon the line at points equidistant from each other. Lumps of earth 

 will suffice to prevent the line from getting out of straight when cutting out. 

 or forming a drill for planting. If planting rooted stocks, force the spade 

 into the soil to the depth required, keeping the blade close to the line, 

 ^without displacing it. The average depth for planting rooted stocks is 

 3 inches. 



Now remove the garden line ; and, with the spade (using the blade half 

 on) place the .soil upon the edge of the freshly-opened trench or grip. If 

 any lumps of earth are pre.sent, reduce them, to a fine state with a few 

 strokes of the back of the spade. Sprinkle bonedust along and upon the 

 removed .soil, and mix it well before filling in ; i lb. of bonedust to 6 yards 

 will be sufficient to give the stocks a good start. 



Take the stocks ready for planting, and place them in small lots, about 

 six to the yard, along the open grip for a few yards. When planting, hold 



them in an upright posi- 

 tion with one hand, and, 

 with the other, draw into 

 the grip enough soil to 

 keep the stock in the posi- 

 tion indicated. Then fill 

 in the rest of the soil with 

 the spade and tread firmly 

 with the flat of the 

 foot to expel the air, care 

 being taken to see that the 

 stocks are kept perfectly 

 upright. Plant 6 inches 

 apart. 



When planting, stocks 

 should be kept covered 

 with a moist bag until 

 wanted, and not too many 

 laid out along the grip at 

 ■one time. The roots of e\ergreen stocks should on no account be allowed 

 to become dry. 



When planting out cuttings permanently for working upon, there is 

 mo necessity to open out a grip, but to force the blade of the spade down 

 into the soil to the depth of half the length of the cuttings. The wall 

 of this cut should be perpendicular, as nearly as possible, to insure the 

 cuttings being upright. This can be done by standing oft" from the garden 

 line and slightly inclining the handle of the spade towards the body. 

 Place the apex end of the cutting in this cut, and press it down to the 

 (depth of half its length, when it should touch a firm bottom. If no such 

 bottom can be touched, work the cutting up and down a little, so that some 

 schI is forced down each time by the end of the cutting. Plant the cuttings 

 about 4 inches apart. Then tread the soil firmly to close up the cut. If 

 this is overlooked, there is every likelihood of a poor strike, owing to the 

 air having free access to the forming callus. 



Ground that is going to be u.sed for planting out cuttings should be 

 ploughed deeplv in early autumn and allowed to settle; only the surface 



METHODS OF PLANTING FRUIT STONES. 



A.. Risht method ; B and C. Wrong methods ; D. Kernel showing 

 shoot in .suitable position ; E. Split kernel showing- shoot. 



