PLANTING 19 



apple trees do not require staking if they are firmly 

 planted. 



Secure strong stakes from five feet to six feet high for 

 the standards, and drive them nine inches or so into the 

 ground in fact, until they are quite firm and at a 

 distance away from the stem of quite six inches, in 

 order to avoid damaging the roots ; for by cutting 

 through these near to the stem a great deal more harm 

 would be done than if the stake were driven in some 

 distance away, where the roots are smaller and farther 

 apart. The breaking of the base of a root might, of 

 course, mean the sacrificing of many rootlets, for as 

 the root goes away from the stem, it naturally branches 

 and subdivides. Having driven in the stake securely 

 a few inches away from the tree-stem, fasten a band 

 of indiarubber or leather around the latter and near 

 to the top of it, tying it round with tarred string ; 

 then fasten another piece of tarred string around 

 the band, and by means of this fasten it to the wooden 

 stake. Unless the band is first attached to the tree, 

 it will be liable in windy weather to chafe the bark 

 by moving up and down, as well as to loosen the 

 stake. 



The best time of the year for planting apple trees is 

 undoubtedly the autumn, in the month of November 

 preferably ; the trees then still have some leaves re- 

 maining upon them, and the soil has not altogether 

 lost its warmth. A certain amount of root action is 

 therefore set up before the commencement of winter, 

 the trees become partially established, and will be all 

 the better able to make a good start in the spring. 

 There is everything to be said in favour of early 

 planting, and whenever possible this should be prac- 

 tised. If, however, the trees cannot be planted 

 in November or very shortly afterwards, it is ad- 

 visable to postpone the work until early spring, for if 



