258 



Effective Farming 



region where the fruit plantation is to be started. In general 

 it may be said that with one-year-old trees, the usual practice 

 is to cut off the top leaving only a whip. In two-year-old trees, 

 if the tops are well branched, the head is usually started at the 

 height desired at the time of planting. A portion of the top 



and about half the length 

 of each branch is removed. 

 Fig. 107 shows the two 

 methods of trimming the 

 trees. To insure a clean cut, 

 the knife blade should be 

 placed under the branch and 

 an upward cut made. 



Preparation of the soil. 

 Fruit plants for best re- 

 sults must make vigorous 

 growth; consequently the 

 soil must be in good condi- 

 tion when they are planted. 

 The hole in which a young 

 tree or bush is to be set 

 should be deep and broad 

 and surface soil should be 

 placed in the bottom in 

 order that the soil contain- 

 ing humus will be about the 

 roots of the plants. Trees 

 should be set an inch or so 

 deeper than they stood in 

 the nursery. This gives the earth room to settle and the tree 

 will later stand at about the height it stood in the nursery. 

 The roots should be straightened out and the soil packed firmly 

 about them. Using the fingers to get the earth about the roots 

 is good practice. The dirt in the hole should be tramped down 

 once or twice during the filling. When the hole has been filled 



FIG. 107. Nursery trees trimmed for 

 planting. 



