96 SELECTmO, PLANTING, AND CULTR^ATION. 



on their broken branches, a thick coating of newly- 

 formed tissue, and often many rootlets, an inch or more 

 in length. The most skillful English nm'serymen and 

 fruit cultivators select early autumn for the removal 

 of their trees. 



*■ K trees arrive in early spring, one should not hasten 

 the planting so much as to be obliged to perform 

 the work indifferently, by planting in shallow holes 

 or poorly prepared soil. Lay the trees in by the heels, 

 covering the roots deeply with loose, fine earth, and 

 then plant them at leisure, removing them from the 

 trench no faster than they are required. By occasion- 

 ally moving the trees li«eled-in, the period of planting 

 may be delayed until the middle of May. It must 

 not be forgotten, that the leaves should be fully ripe, 

 and all growth completed, else the evaporation of sap 

 through the still active leaves would go on too rapidly 

 for the supply afforded by the maimed roots. 



ROOTS OF THE PEAR. 



As the Pear tree advances in age, the difficulty of 

 successful removal increases. The reason is not always 

 understood by those who seem to consider the roots 

 as chiefly valuable for sustaining the tree in an upright 

 position, and obtain with the tree the least number 

 that will perform this ofiice. Almost all persons be- 

 lieve that if, by dint of extra labor, they have secured 

 a few long, naked canes of roots, that they have per- 

 formed their work admirably; although by careless 

 digging, or pulling the roots through the soil, they 

 may have destroyed all the hair-like fibres which 

 alone give value to the main roots. The nourishment 



