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trees will not stand their roots being in saturated ground for any length 

 of time. In selecting young trees choose those with clean, straight 

 stems and a fair proportion of roots. Under favourable conditions the 

 trees will attain a large size in time, and they consequently require 

 plenty of room for their developement. From thirty to thirty-five feet 

 apart will not be too great a distance for Chestnut trees. As a matter 

 of course, many years will pass before the trees will require all the space, 

 and in the meantime it may be utilized for Peaches and other com- 

 paratively short-lived trees or cultivated for vegetable crops. But little 

 attention in the way of pruning is required by the Chestnut, except in 

 the case of young trees, which must have their growth regulated so as 

 to get large and symmetrical specimens in as short a time as possible. 

 In the case of mature trees all that is necessary is the removal of rank or 

 misplaced shoots, slightly thinning the branches when too numerous, and 

 shortening back growth that is straggling. Sometimes trees will have a 

 tendency to over luxuriance and yield but little fruit, when root pruning 

 may prove beneficial. This operation should be performed in the winter, 

 before active growth commences. The fruit is borne upon the wood of 

 the previous season, and is generally allowed to fall from the tree when 

 fully ripe. If the nuts are required to be kept for any length of time 

 they will retain their freshness for a considerable period if packed in dry 

 sand or soil. 



Clean cultivation is quite as necessary for the Chestnut as for any 

 other fruit tree. An undergrowth of herbage is particularly injurious 

 during the early summer months. Light and frequent stirrings with 

 the scarifier or hoe are better for keeping down weeds than deep 

 ploughing or digging. The less the roots are disturbed by the cultivating 

 implements the better. Before the hot weather sets in the trees should 

 be mulched to the depth of four or five inches as far as their roots extend. 

 Old trees must be kept in good condition, by the use of manure 

 occasionally if necessary. As to when manure is required, the cultivator 

 must necessarily judge for himself from the appearance of his trees. 



PROPAGATION, 



Propagation is eflected by seeds, cuttings, layering, grafting and 

 budding. Plants are easily raised from seeds, which should be sown late 

 in the winter or early in the spring and covered to the depth of about 

 three inches. The following season the young trees should be planted 

 out in rows about thirty inches apart, leaving a foot of space between in 

 the lines. In another year the young trees will be ready for planting 

 out permanently. Cuttings strike freely, and may be put in at any 

 time between the fall of the leaf and early spring. Plants are readily 

 obtained from layers, which should be put down at the same period as 

 recommended for cuttings. Grafting is generally practised, as it brings 

 trees into bearing earlier than those raised from seed. The operation 

 should be performed just before the sap commences to rise, and the scions 

 must be taken from well ripened wood. Budding is sometimes practised 

 for the same reason as grafting. It should be performed in the summer, 

 when the bark will rise freely upon the wood ; and mature, plump, and 

 well-formed buds should invariably be used. 



