76 THE APPLE. 



to start, or does not start for one year, unless scalded or mixed 

 with moist sand and allowed to freeze and thaw a few times. In 

 a small way the seed may be kept mixed with sand and buried in a 

 box in the ground until spring, when it should be put in a warm 

 place until it starts into growth a little. It should then be sown in 

 drills three inches deep and about three feet apart, in rich, warm 

 soil, sowing about twenty seeds to the foot 



Boot-grafted Trees should always be preferred to those 

 that are budded, for this section, unless in the case of hardy trees 

 that are already once root-grafted, and are budded to change the 

 bearing qualities, when budding is as good as grafting. The objec- 

 tion to budded trees is not to the method of propagation, but from 

 the fact that the buds must be inserted above the ground into a 

 seedling root, which seedling is of doubtful hardiness, and is per 

 haps quite tender; yet is partly exposed above ground, where it is 

 liable to fail at any time. Root-grafted trees have the graft below- 

 ground and send out roots from above the graft, which increases 

 the hardiness of the trees. Quite frequently the roots of a budded 

 or grafted tree will be tender and kill out, while the top is healthy 

 and sound ; consequently it is desirable to have the roots as hardy 

 as the top. But as this is not always practicable every effort 

 should be made to get the hardiest roots obtainable. In more 

 favorable locations budded trees may be just as desirable as those 

 that are root-grafted . The kind of root-graft, whether with whole 

 or piece roots, makes but little difference to the ordinary planter, 

 who should look especially to getting good trees, when.he should 

 be careful to plant the graft well below the surface of the ground. 



Planting. The land should be in as good condition as is re- 

 quired for corn. The work of planting will be greatly facilitated 

 if the land is furrowed out both ways with a large plow, and the 

 trees set at the intersections. If the trees must be set in sod, a 

 hole five feet in diameter should be dug for each tree ; no grass 

 should be allowed to grow in this space, and it should be heavily 

 mulched. In setting the trees the holes should be made large 

 enough to take in all the roots without crowding. If it is neces- 

 sary to set trees into the sub-soil, and it often is, then in digging 

 the holes the top-soil should be kept separate from the sub-soil 

 and be put back in the bottom of the hole so as to be in contact 

 with the roots. The roots should be evenly spread out in the hole 

 and the fine top-soil carefully worked among them so as not to 

 leave any air spaces between or under them. If the soil is dry it 

 can hardly be made too solid around the roots. If wet but little 

 pressure should be used. 



The Time to Plant. In the north apple trees should never 

 be set in the fall of the year, nor should they be dug from the nur- 

 sery rows in the spring, as they are very liable to be weakened ; if 

 not seriously injured by the winter if left exposed. They should 

 be dug in the autumn and buried root and branch "heeled in"- in 

 dry soil until spring, or else be carried over the winter in a cold 



