CARE OF NURSERY STOCK 



WILLIAM FLEMING, OWEX SOUND, ONT. 



IMMEDIATELY on the receipt of pack- 

 ages or boxes of fruit trees, shrubs or 

 plants from the nursery, convey them to 

 some place sheltered from the wind and sun. 

 On opening the bundles lay the goods out 

 on the ground and check them to see that all 

 is correct. Sprinkle them with water and 

 cover with damp straw to keep the wind off. 

 It has a beneficial effect to puddle the roots. 

 Dig a round hole 2j^ feet broad and 1^4 

 feet in clayey soil. Half fill this with water 

 and with a hoe. or shovel mix clayey earth 

 with the water to the consistency of paint. 

 Dip the roots of the trees in this mud mix- 

 ture. When partially dry give a second 

 application. This covering of mud greatly 

 protects the roots and stimulates growth. 



TRENCH THE STOCK. 



Dig a trench deep and wide enough io 

 hold the roots and one-third of the tree 

 trunks. Loosen the bundles so as to ease 

 the roots and lay the trees in the trench, the 

 tops leaning to the north down close to the 

 ground. Cover the roots and one-third of 

 the trunk of the trees with earth, covering 

 the roots thoroughly. If the earth is dry 

 sprinkle well with water and leave so 

 trenched till planted in a day or two. 



The ground for planting the stock in 

 should have been prepared and properly en- 

 riched the previous year. There should be 

 no grass nor sods to cause trouble after 

 planting. Nothing should be half done. 



LAYING OUT THE GROUND. 



When laying out the land put a straight 

 stake where each tree is to stand. Dig only 

 one hole at a time and plant the tree in it. 

 When this is done tne tree occupies the place 

 of the stake. Pass on to the next hole and 

 plant the second tree, and continue this till 

 all are planted. Doing the work in this 

 way the trees will all be in their proper 



places. Planting sliould be done on a 

 cloudy day if possible. 



If the ground has a sandy bottom it mat- 

 ters little how the hole is dug and the tree 

 planted. If it has a clay bottom it matters 

 a great deal. Where the ground is heavy 

 the greatest care is required. The hole 

 must not be sunk in the clay, as the water 

 sours under the tree in the hole and kills or 

 injures the tree permanently. 



The hole should be dug wide and deep 

 enough to admit the roots of the tree. The 

 surface earth should be thrown on one side 

 and bottom earth on the other side of the 

 hole so as to be convenient for refilling. 

 PLANTING THE TREES. 



When planting the tree, stand it straight 

 in the hole so it will occupy the exact place 

 of the removed stake and set it one inch 

 deeper than in the nursery. Let the sur- 

 face earth be put in the hole first and thor- 

 oughly packed among the roots so that no 

 crevices are left unfilled. When the hole 

 is two-thirds full pour a pail of water in it 

 close to the tree, and when soaked in thor- 

 oughly shovel the balance of the earth in the 

 hole. Do not press or stamp the earth, as it 

 would ruin the chance of the tree thriving. 



If the ground is not dry, instead of water- 

 ing, a barrow of long manure should be put 

 on the ground two feet all round the tree, 

 but not close to the trunk, to keep the 

 ground moist. No manure should be put 

 near the roots of the tree in the ground 

 when planted. 



The injured and decayed parts of the 

 roots should be cut carefully off. and half of 

 last year's growth should be removed and 

 the top of the tree balanced. If the trees 

 are allowed to take care of themselves after 

 planting the greater half of them will die the 

 first year and the balance will be permanent- 

 ly injured. 



