CHAPTER III 



PLANTING 



CARE OF PLANTS BEFORE PLANTING 



AFTER the shipment arrives an examination of the stock should 

 be made. Evergreens, if at all dry, should be placed in the 

 shade, away from drying winds, and sprayed. Trees and shrubs 

 need not be removed from the packing at once if they are in a moist condi- 

 tion and will be used in a day or two. If several days will intervene be- 

 tween receipt of the plants and planting time, the bundles or boxes should 

 be unpacked and the plant material stored. The air should be allowed 

 to reach the tops only ; the roots being kept moist by suitable protection. 

 Although most any covering of some fine material that can be kept 

 moist will serve to keep roots from drying out, the best and most general 

 practice is to heel the plants in the ground. "Heeling in" consists in 

 placing the plants in a trench and covering the roots with soil. The 

 plants are generally sloped at an anglel of 45 degrees when laid in the 

 trench, as they are then easier to handle. For temporary heeling in, 

 the bundles of the different kinds need not be broken, but if the shrubs 

 are to remain in the trench any length of time, each bundle should be 

 opened that every plant will be protected and receive moisture. 



Certain enmergency measures are sometimes necessary when stock 

 is received out of condition. Material that has become very dry should 

 be thoroughly soaked as it is heeled in, or better, the whole plant com- 

 pletely submerged in water for a couple days. When the roots of 

 trees and shrubs are frozen they must be thawed out gradually. A 

 gradual thawing by soaking the roots in water of freezing temperature, 

 with ice and snow mixed in, and then heeling in 1 the plants in unfrozen 

 ground will sometimes save them. Soaking the roots of evergreens that 

 have thoroughly dried out is of little or no avail. Their roots are 

 resinous and water will not soften and freshen them. 



PLANTING SEASONS 



In climates where the summer comes on hot and dry early in the 

 year, plants which will stand fall planting will do best if planted in 

 that season. The seasons are short enough as it is, and when fall plant- 

 ing can be done, the opportunity should not be neglected. The period 

 during which all plants can be moved with the greatest degree of suc- 

 cess is during their dormant period. Most any woody plant, not too 



