PLANTING A FIG ORCHARD. 161 
a flat face of the spade in order to drive it solidly in the soil. The 
hole is next dug on the side of the stake, close to the narrow edge of 
the lath. If, for instance, the first hole is dug on the east side of the 
lath, every succeeding hole must similarly be dug on the east side of 
every lath, otherwise the holes will not line with one another. As to 
the size of the holes, no general rule can be followed. The hole 
should never be larger than necessary to admit all the roots in their 
proper position. As far as the experience of the writer goes, a hole 
18 inches deep by 2 feet wide will answer in most cases for all trees, 
as few trees from the nursery will have more spreading roots than 
this. However, the proper way is to first ascertain the length of the 
roots, both horizontally and vertically, and then dig the holes accord- 
ingly. A square hole is better than a round hole, as it enables the 
planter to so turn the tree that any extra long root may be spread out 
in the angles of the hole. In irrigation districts the hole does not 
need to be larger than to admit the roots. Actual experiments have 
proven that larger holes are not needed. Trees planted in very large 
holes, 4 feet square, did not grow better than trees set in holes of just 
sufficient size to admit the roots. In fact the shallow hole is better, 
because with subsequent irrigation the soil in the larger hole sinks or 
settles, causing the tree to stand too low. Irrigation softens the soil 
sufficiently to enable even the smallest rootlets to easily penetrate the 
soil. 
In districts where no irrigation is required the hole may be made 
deeper in order to give soft soil to the lower roots, but in no case does 
it need to be wider than the spread of the roots. In such localities it 
is desirable to cause the roots to go down, but not to spread on the 
surface. 
In digging, the top soil should be put in a small pile separate from 
the bottom soil. The latter had better be scattered at once over the 
field, as it is desirable to use only top soil in filling in around the 
.roots. The bottom of the hole should not be tapering or funnel- 
shaped, but square and flat. Few trees indeed have taproots. <A 
funnel-shaped hole will also cause all the heavy ground or elods to 
collect in the center, where it is greatly in the way in planting trees. 
The soil in the bottom of the hole should be stirred, in order to pre- 
vent it from drying out before the tree is planted. 
PLANTING THE TREES. 
The sooner planting is done after the holes are dug the better it is 
for the trees. The habit of digging holes weeks or months before 
planting is to be greatiy condemned, as it causes the holes to dry out and 
become lined with a crust of dry and hard soil, which must be removed 
before the trees are set. The first operation in planting is toexamine 
the trees in order to ascertain if the buds, wood, or rootlets are shrivel- 
ing. Whether this be the case or not it is of great advantage to immerse 
