84 Peach-Growing 



MAKING THE HOLES FOR THE TREES 



Making the holes where the trees are to stand is a simple 

 matter, if the land has been well prepared, but it is never- 

 theless an important one. They should be large enough 

 to receive the roots without bending them from their normal 

 position and deep enough so that when filled the trees will 

 stand two or three inches deeper than they stood originally 

 in the nursery row. This deeper planting has no adverse 

 results unless the soil is very heavy, when about the same 

 depth as in the nursery row may be advisable. Fairly deep 

 planting insures, in a measure at least, against the roots 

 becoming exposed through the washing of the soil from the 

 trees or its being worked away in the subsequent tillage of 

 the orchard. Trees that are planted too shallow do not 

 thrive as a rule. 



The inexperienced planter frequently raises a question 

 about the advisability of making the holes considerably 

 larger than the roots and filling in with rich soil. WTiile 

 there can be no objection to doing this, it adds materially 

 to the expense of planting the trees, and there is probably 

 little to be gained by it if the soil is in suitable condition and 

 the subsoil is well adapted to the object in view. 



The making of the holes is generally accomplished in one 

 or the other of two ways. After the site has been laid out 

 as described, men with shovels or spades, and picks if need 

 be, dig holes, or deep furrows are opened by running a plow 

 two or more times along the line of each row, thus throwing 

 out the soil and leaving but little more to be done with a 

 spade at the points where the trees are to be placed. By 

 the former method, if the ground is in good condition for 

 planting, a man should dig at least 100 holes in a ten-hour 

 day. Not infrequently a considerably larger number is 



