well, you must have a good outlet. 

 I am convinced that a great mis- 

 take has been made in planting 

 too many trees. If the average 

 farmer would plant ten trees instead 

 of one hundred, taking care to set 

 the small tree, guard it well, form 

 the top in the proper place, prune 

 judiciously, etc., he would get fen 

 times more cash than he does from 

 the plant-anywhere, neglect-and- 

 starve, saw-hew-wound-and- 

 slaughter style that now prevails. 



It is not my intention to give 

 particular instructions on the man- 

 agement of the dwarf, ornamental 

 fruit trees; how to form the "pyra- 

 midals," "cordons," "espaliers," 

 etc., as there is not one in a thou- 

 sand would adopt those forms; but 

 the preparation for these and mode 

 of planting is the same as for the 

 "standards." If you are going to 



Photo 85 plant an orchard, take time to pre- 



pare the soil. You should take at 



least two years in manuring, plowing and sub-soiling. 

 On this preparation the health of your trees will largely 

 depend. The plowing and sub-soiling should not be 

 less than 18 inches deep. Considerable lime and ashes 

 should be worked in. Supposing you are ready to plant 

 and your stock has arrived, now proceed. Measure off, 

 place a stake where each plant is going to be set. Ex- 

 amine the roots of your plants. If there are any broken 

 roots prune as shown in photo 99. Make a draw-cut 

 from under. Roots are just as susceptible of injury as 

 the branches. If you cut the roots from under the 

 wound will heal. If you make a downward cut from 

 above, or a side cut, the water soaks down on it and 

 causes decay. It matters not whether it be your little 

 Photo 86. toe or little finger that is injured, the whole body suffers 



in proportion to the wound. Plants suffer in like man- 

 ner. Now dig out the hole, say, 4 feet in diameter (I am supposing you have small 

 trees) and 18 inches deep. Scatter in about 2 inches of fine surface soil. Proceed by 

 setting the plant. Have someone to hold it upright. Spread out the roots in all direc- 

 tions. Fill in the hole up to within 2 inches of top with good soil. Now pour in one or 

 two pails of water; pass on and set another tree, etc. When the water has soaked away 

 fill up around the tree and step on it lightly to make the earth firm. By using water 

 freely you embed every little fibre and close all air chambers. You should use the tile 

 (as shown in photo 100) as a tree guard. (This is an apple tree and the top should be 

 formed up where the hand is pointing. ) If you use a stake, set it outside the tile. Put 

 a piece of old carpet or cloth between the stake and tree to prevent chafing; and don'/ 

 fail to keep some bit of cloth around the tree at the upper end of the tile. If you use a 

 4-inch tile it will entirely prevent mice and rabbits from girdling the tree. When your 

 tree is filling up the tile, a few taps with the hammer and your guard is out of the way. 



41 



