82 An American Fruit-Farm 



the loosened earth; they soon strike as it were a 

 metal casing and growth ceases. It is precisely 

 like attempting to raise trees at Atlantic City. 

 There the hole is dug in the salty sand and is filled 

 with soil imported from the mainland. The tree 

 lives till it has exhausted the imported soil; if 

 longer, new soil must be supplied. A like con- 

 dition prevails near Chicago. Spread the roots 

 carefully with the fingers in the loose earth, at 

 bottom of the hole. Let no fertilizer of any kind 

 come in contact with the roots. Cover these with 

 earth only, and on top of this layer of soil scatter 

 the fertilizer, sparingly. I have had best success 

 when the hole is filled to within six or eight inches 

 of the top with soil, then fill in with well-rotted 

 barnyard manure and cover as a mulch. This 

 keeps the whole root-mass moist. Do not water 

 the tree, and never pour water about the tree 

 without afterwards throwing fresh earth on, to 

 prevent baking of the soil and closing up its pores. 

 This means that plants should not be set when 

 the ground at the bottom of the hole is dry as 

 powder. There are times amidst an unusually 

 dry season, in spring or fall, when plants must 

 be set, or planting go over another year. Then 

 water may be poured into the hole before the plant 

 is set. The soil filled in will act as a mulch. But 

 such planting is inadvisable. Again, after plants 

 are set, growth may set in. If irrigation is neces- 

 sary, wet the ground thoroughly. Moisture for 

 roots comes chiefly and naturally from below, not 



