162 THE FIG: ITS HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CURING. 
the fig trees in running water, or at least in fresh water, overnight, 
previous to planting the following day. If the stem and buds are 
plump the trees may, however, be planted at once. Previously to 
planting, the roots should be trimmed with a pair of very sharp shears. 
The large roots should be cut back until they show the milky sap 
freely, all moldy parts should be cut off, and all rootlets which give 
the least suspicion of being dry, or which do not show sap freely, 
should be taken off entirely. It is better to plant a fig tree without 
any roots than to plant it with dry roots, as in the latter case the tree 
will die back to the ground. In bringing the trees to the field they 
should be wrapped in wet sacking or blankets. One man should carry 
the bundles and distribute the trees for about four planters, going but 
one or two rows, but better only one row, ahead of them, sticking a 
tree in each hole in such’a way that as little sun as possible will strike 
the roots. If the sun is vory warm and the wind blowing it is nee- 
essary to have one distributer for each planter, as the success of 
the planting depends absolutely upon planting fig trees with moist 
roots. In some cases it may be necessary even to carry a tank of 
water in the field and dip the fig roots before planting. In moist and 
cloudy weather no such extra precau‘ions are necessary. -It must be 
always remembered tha: it is cheaper to be extra careful in the first 
planting than to replant the following season. Few trees are as ten- 
der as fig trees, but with proper care no appreciable loss is necessary. 
The mode of planting is to first fill in sufficiently with the top soil 
to form a small hill in the center of the hole. When placed upon it 
the fig tree should stand as deep in the hole as it stood in the ground 
in the nursery. The discoloration of the collar of the tree will show 
the former soil surface. The roots are then spread out and the tree 
turned so as to allow the longer roots to spread naturally in the angles 
of the hole. By means of the guiding lath the trees are all placed the 
same distance from the laths at the edge of the holes, and if this is done 
with precision the trees when planted will all be in exact line. 
The roots are then f.lled sround with fresh surface soil taken from 
the vicinity of the tree. If the ground is in proper condition the soil 
will be foun.l moist an inch or two below the surface. This soil is 
used for filling. The soil is not to be shoved down by the spadeful on 
the roots, but gently shaken in by means of light jerks of the shovel 
or spade. It requires two men to plant—one to hold the tree in place 
and arrange the soil about the roots by means of a short stick, and 
one to shovel the soil and do the final tamping. In small plantings 
the distributer of the trees may be dispensed with and the trees in 
their wraps may be carried by the man who does not carry the shovel. 
The soil should be tramped as hard around the roots as possible; 
the whole weight of the body as well as force should be applied on 
the soil. The hole should be filled in level with the surface, and in 
very rainy weather may be heaped, so as to cause the water to run off. 
by ras nt SOT el Ore 
