SETTING TREES. 191 
we have formally held so valuable in setting trees are usless. There is one 
other point I deem important before setting any tree that has been started 
on tender roots. I examine close for the tender root at the bottom, which, 
as a rule, appears dark and dull. Then I cut off all the tender roots, unless 
it takes them all. This lets the tree down deeper and secures its own hardy 
roots. I have practiced this for years. 
Next place your tree in position to make it self-protecting against sun 
scald, that many claim has killed half of our bearing apple trees. This is 
not a difficult matter if your tree is straight, but if its trunk has two or three 
slight crooks you will often find it very difficult to hold your breath long 
enough to determine just which way to turn it so as to best prevent the 
dreaded sun killing. The stem and principal branches should all point as 
near to one o’clock as possible—by no means vary over a half hour either 
to the right or to the left. The instructions commonly given by our best 
writers to set to the southwest is dangerous in the extreme, as I have demon- 
strated over and over. Never set either to the southeast or southwest, but just 
a little to the west of south. As soon as you have determined on the exact 
position to have the tree stand, have two inches of the rich earth thrown 
over the roots:and then get up and stamp the earth thoroughly down, not 
only over the roots but over the bottom of the hole and particularly against 
the sides of the hole. Then if I have any sides or upright banks anywhere 
on either side I take a spade or grub hoe and slash down the bank on all 
sides stamping thoroughly at the same time till I get the entire hole within 
three inches of level; then hold your breath again and fill the hole even. If 
dry, leave a little sloping to the tree, but see that you fill this last three 
inches with as fine and as loose earth as possible, and fine manure on top 
of this will be all the better—but never round it up about the base of the 
thee, never. 
To ensure a successful growth the first season (and you want it then if 
ever), you must do one thing with care: Cultivate the three inches of 
surface thoroughly and keep the ground fine, light, and smooth in August— 
and if the soil is still dry keep up a thorough cultivation through August; 
if still very dry keep on till it freezes up, when the frozen surface will shut 
out the wind and the sun, and the roots will soon be supplied with moisture 
by capillary attraction from many feet below. I take very little stock in this 
cry of fall watering trees by some of our wise teachers who ought to know 
better—just before the ground freezes they advise watering—but follow my 
suggestions and rake the surface with a steel garden rake about every ten 
days, and, I care not how dry it may be, on good soil you need no 
water. If you are close over rock, heavy blue clay or hard pan then water 
often or better run and halloo fire or murder. Another point not to be over- 
looked: if you .rake or cultivate the surface thoroughly today, and it rains 
a fine shower tonight, and the ground is in need of more moisture, as soon 
as the surface dries a little go over it again with the rake in a few hours, 
and you hold nearly all the shower, but if you let it go a number of days 
you lose nearly all the shower you thought to save. 
Now while your tree is set, there is another fine point for serious consid- 
eration. Setting trees, in spite of all you can or have done, will often show 
when set openings on the sun side, and if not closed up before it comes in 
bearing the tree will be injured, often ruined. This by a very little care can 
be easily avoided. Soon after I set my trees I step to the sun side, and if I 
