98 



CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



moist lowlands, but longer roots are far safer in the deep drying of 

 the surface layer which is to be expected in this State. 



The roots, after lifting, should not be permitted to dry. Hence, 

 in hauling from the nursery to the farm, the trees should be well 

 covered with wet straw and old sacks, or, if shipped from the nur- 

 sery to distant points, should be well packed. The best way to pack 

 trees is, undoubtedly, to box them in with wet straw, but it costs 

 less and they usually carry well considerable distances if carefully 

 bundled with tules (dry reed stems), the roots packed in wet straw, 

 and the packing and covering bound down tight with ropes to pre- 

 vent drying out. 



Attention should be paid to hauling away trees from the railway 

 stations as soon as possible after arrival. It is not uncommon for 

 shipments to lie on the station platforms for days, often when a des- 

 iccating north wind is blowing. Such treatment soon takes the life 

 out of 'trees, and often, no doubt, the nurseryman is blamed for 

 failure of trees which have suffered some such neglect as this, either 

 from transportation companies or from the purchasers. 



Heeling-In. On arrival at the farms, trees should be "heeled- 

 in" as soon as possible ; even if it is the intention to plant at once, 

 heel them in just the same, for delays arise often in the most unex- 

 pected manner. To heel-in, dig a trench or plow a deep furrow, or 

 a double furrow, in light, moist, but well-drained soil; put in the 

 trees singly side by side, removing all the packing material carefully 

 from the roots, laying the tops all one way, and then shovel the dirt 

 over the roots until they are well covered with loose soil, and be sure 

 that the soil sifts down well between the roots. Ordinarily this 

 treatment will hold the trees in good condition for a considerable 

 time if need be. If, however, they have become dry before arrival, 

 the bundles should be thoroughly drenched with water before heel- 

 ing in. In extreme cases, where the top shows drying by shrinking 

 and shriveling of the bark, the trees should be drenched, and then 

 they should be covered root and top with earth for two or three 

 days, when, if the trouble has not gone too far, the bark will recover 

 its smoothness and plumpness. It should be very seldom, however, 

 that a lot of trees is allowed to get into such condition by neglect. 

 In heeling-in it will be found a great convenience and a safeguard 

 against possible confusion by loss of labels, if each variety as taken 

 from the packing is placed by itself in the trench. Nurserymen gen- 

 erally attach a label to each small bundle, if the trees are of several 

 varieties, and the novice is apt to lose all track of his sorts when 

 heeling in the trench, unless he heels in each kind by itself, leaving 

 the nurseryman's label to mark the whole lot of each kind. 



In heeling-in, the trees should be put in the trench on the slant 

 and not upright. First it is easier to put them that way, because 

 they hold themselves in place for covering the roots, and it is also 

 easier and better for the trees to lift them out than to pull them out. 

 Second, when putting in on the plant the tops should always point 

 to the southern sky, because the sun is low down and its rays hit the 

 trees on the ends and not on the sides. Activity in the top of the 



