268 THE ESSENTIALS OF AGRICULTURE 



348. How far apart to plant. The distance apart to plant 

 depends upon the locality, the soil, and the variety. Trees that 

 do not grow large and that wear out early may be planted much 

 closer than those that grow larger and live longer. Sometimes 

 fruit trees are planted closer than they should stand when fully 

 grown, and when they have been bearing a few years and more 

 room is required, each alternate tree is cut out. 



349. When to plant. Trees may be transplanted in the spring 

 or in the fall. In the milder climates, where trees are not likely 

 to be injured by winter, fall transplanting is to be preferred be- 

 cause there is more heat in the ground then than in the spring, 

 and new root growth is greatly stimulated by soil warmth. If the 

 autumn is very dry, it is best to put off planting until spring. 



350. Shaping the root before planting. All broken or badly 

 injured roots should be cut back to healthy tissues. To avoid 

 bending the roots in planting, all roots should be cut back to six 

 or eight inches in length. Bending a root shuts off the flow of 

 sap just as kinking a garden hose checks the flow of water. If 

 the small fibrous roots are dry, bruised, or dead, they should be 

 trimmed off, as they are not only worthless but prevent the soil 

 from coming in full contact with the main roots. 



351. Setting the tree. The tree should be placed in the 

 ground as nearly as possible in the shape and at the depth at 

 which it grew in the nursery. The hole to receive the tree 

 should be broad enough to accommodate the natural spread of 

 the root system. As the tree is held in the hole at the proper 

 depth and in the proper position, the soil should be shaken from 

 the shovel loosely so that it will sift in between the roots and 

 leave them in their normal position. At the same time the tree 

 should be shaken so that its roots will retain their natural spread 

 instead of being bent down in an unnatural position. As soon 

 as the lower roots are covered with a layer of soil, the soil 

 should be pressed down firmly. Layer after layer of soil should 

 be tramped firmly from the bottom of the hole to the top, and 

 then a layer of loose soil should be spread over the surface to 

 act as a mulch. Unless the soil is too wet and heavy for proper 



