THE EMIGRANT'S HAND-BOOK. 291 



more likely to live, but grow much faster, bear much 

 sooner, and bear much better fruit than on sterile land. 

 All our observations go to justify these remarks. 



When young trees are taken from the nursery, inquiry 

 is often made how soon will they come into bearing ? It 

 is a very proper question, and it would be a proper an- 

 swer to say : Very much according to the treatment they 

 shall get. When they are set in holes cut out of a sod, 

 just large enough to receive the root swith some crowding, 

 and are then left to take care of themselves, we have no 

 right to expect them to come soon into bearing, nor to 

 bear much when they do. Neither half starved cows, nor 

 half starved trees will be found profitable. In the latter 

 case especially, the interest on the purchase money is 

 generally lost for some years, and not unfrequently the 

 purchase too ; but we hardly ever lose a tree in good con- 

 dition, set in mellow ground which is kept mellow. 



The holes for the trees should be not less than four feet 

 diameter and fifteen inches deep, but a greater breadth 

 and depth is desirable. Place the soil round the brink 

 of the hole, ready for filling in again ; but scatter the 

 harder subsoil back out of the way. The hole should 

 then be filled with the best earth, and rise a few inches 

 above the general surface on account of its settling, first 

 mixing three or four shovelfuls of chip-dirt with the part 

 that is to come in immediate contact with the roots. It helps 

 to keep the ground loose and moist, besides yielding much 

 nutriment to the trees. 



The roots of the trees when taken from the nursery 

 should be carefully guarded against drying or freezing. 

 If such care however, has not been taken, bury the frozen 

 roots in the ground before they can thaw, and plunge the 

 dried roots with several feet of the main stem into water, 

 to soak there from 12 to 24 hours, till the moisture is suf- 

 ficiently restored. 



