IV PLANTING 61 
to cut the tap-roots, and will even “lift” the roots 
of their vines, peach, and other trees if they prove 
unfruitful, lay them in again nearer the surface, and 
encourage them by all means in their power to remain 
there. They know that the produce of tap-roots is 
gross wood without blossom, and that fibrous surface 
roots must be looked to for flowers and fruitfulness ; 
yet some recommend the seedling briar as a stock 
because it roots deeper, although we surely want 
flowers, not gross wood alone, from the Rose as well 
as the fruit-tree. 
In planting, therefore, at the depth recommended, 
carefully spread out the roots horizontally, equally in 
all directions if possible, though this cannot always 
be done, purchased dwarfs often having roots point- 
ing only in one direction, which arises in some 
degree from carelessness and haste in originally 
planting the stocks. If a separate hole be made for 
each plant, let it be wide enough ; do not curve the 
roots or let them cross each other. If they naturally 
want to cross, or there be two or more going in the 
same direction, put some fairly light soil between 
them that they may lie in layers but always hori- 
zontally. See that the soil which is put against the 
roots themselves, or to cover each layer of roots, is 
at all events fairly fine and crumbly, if not actually 
dry and powdery, and especially that no manure is 
put in actual contact with them; lift the plant by 
the top up and down a little with a shaking move- 
ment to settle the soil more thoroughly amongst the 
fibres. And remember that the whole operation of 
planting is done much more thoroughly and expedi- 
tiously by two men than one. If single-handed a 
short pointed stick for scratching fine soil between 
