PLA.NTING, PRUNING, AND TRAINING FRUIi-TREES. 195 



rapidity of railway conveyance will prevent the trees from injiny, especially 

 if they are carefully packed in mould, and matted ; but it may be a proper 

 precaution against carelessness at the nursery, if the roots are laid in milk- 

 and-water or soap-suds, a few hours before they are planted. The process 

 of planting will differ, according as it is intended to be a dwarf, a standard, 

 a pyramid, or a wall tree. If for a dwarf, standard, or espalier, place it 

 upright in the centre of the station ; spread the roots carefully in an horizontal 

 du-ection, and cover them with prepared mould to the required height, 

 supporting the young plant with a strong stake, driven firmly into the gi'ound, 

 and tying the stem to it with hay, or some other string that will not bruise 

 the young tree, pressing the soil gently, but firmly, over the extended roots, 

 after cutting away the tap-root, except in the case of the peach, which, having 

 a tendency to throw up suckers, should have the roots directed downwards, 

 haWng first laid a layer of half-rotten dung all round the tree. This process, 

 called mulching, consists in spreading a layer of short half-rotten dung five or 

 six inches thick round the stem, in a radius six inches beyond the extremity 

 of the roots ; the mulch spread evenly with the fork, and gently pressed down 

 by the back of the spade, or, if exposed to wind, pegged down to prevent its 

 being blown away. If a wall-tree, let the root be as far from the wall as may 

 conveniently be, with the stem sloping to it, the roots being extended and 

 covered in the same manner, with the soil. 



492. The nature of the soil is to be regarded, and the tree planted at a 

 •greater or smaller elevation above the level of the sxirrounding soil, according 

 to its nature : where the sub-soil is a stiff clay, the mound in which it is planted 

 should rise from nine to twelve inches ; in a warm dry soil, a very gentle 

 elevation suffices. The roots should be planted in the richest mould ; and 

 various expedients, to which we shall presently refer, are used to keep them 

 moist and cool, and free from canker. The mould requires to be pressed 

 gently and closely round the roots with the hand, so that the soil may be 

 closely packed round them : with these precautions, no fear need be enter- 

 tained of productive fi'uit-trees being obtained. 



493. And now, your trees being planted, the wall-trees nailed to the wall 

 to prevent their being shaken by the winds, the standard and dwarf trees 

 firml}' attached to a strong stake for the same purpose, let us consider the 

 various expedients which have been adopted, from time to time, to protect 

 the roots of the young trees from the frosts of winter and the scorching 

 heats of summer. For this pm-pose, layers of straw, or of ferns, five or six 

 inches thick, laid in circles three feet round the stem, have been recommended, 

 and the nurseryman should have very special directions to have them carefully 

 taken up, with every root and fibre as entire as possible, carefully packed in 

 damp moss, or other material that will retain moisture, the stems and 

 branches well tied in, and wrapped up in straw inside and mats outside. 

 On their arrival, ii the weather continues open, they are to be carefully 

 unpacked, and '4aid in by the heels," as gardeners term the operation of 

 laying them in a temporary trench. 



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