48 



QUINCE CULTURE. 



we should begin to dig to get under the outer portion of 

 its roots. What is commonly called a forked spade is 

 the best implement I have used, as it does not cut the 

 roots, and bruises them but little. The digger should 

 stand with his side toward the tree, and this fork will 

 then go down so as to lift the roots entire, by work- 

 ing from the outer ends to the tree. The larger share 

 of fibrous roots will be found comparatively near the 

 surface. 

 As soon as the tree is dug, earth must be thrown over 



Fig. 22. 



GOOD AND BAD DIGGING. 



Fig. 23. 



its roots to keep them from drying by sun or wind. A 

 cloudy day is desirable, and is all the better if damp and 

 without wind. 



If the tree has been raised from seed it will have a tap- 

 root ; but if from a cutting there will be only laterals to 

 care for. If any roots are bruised or broken in digging, 

 it will be well to pare off the bruised parts smoothly, and 

 cut the ends of broken roots with a slant upward, so 

 that the callus formed will emit roots downward from 

 these cut ends. 



The hole for the tree should be about two spades deep, 



