THE HANDLING OF THE PLANTS 



129 



Cutting-back ; filling. 



In the planting of any tree or bush, the roots should be cut 

 back beyond all breaks and serious bruises, and fine earth should 

 be thoroughly filled in and firmed about them, as in Fig. 142. 

 No implement is so good as the fingers for working the soil about 



'■'ll'' //■■//'/'' 

 142. Proper planting of a tree. 



143. Careless planting of a tree. 



the roots. If the tree has many roots, work it up and down 

 slightly several times during the filling of the hole, to settle the 

 earth in place. When the earth is thrown in carelessly, the 

 roots are jammed together, and often an empty place is left 

 beneath the crown, as in Fig. 143, which causes the roots to dry 

 out. 



The marks on the tops of these trees in Figs. 142 and 143 show 

 where the branches may be cut. See also Fig. 152. Figures 144 



