84 An American Fruit-Farm 



There is a notable difference in budded fruit-trees. 

 Some are so budded that the growth at the point 

 of budding becomes much greater in diameter than 

 that below the bud. This means that the budded 

 stock grows faster than the original stock on which 

 it is budded. The result oftentimes is the bursting 

 of the bark above the point of budding, thus letting 

 in fungi and insects and disease. The remedy- 

 is to buy stock of even growth with the original 

 root stock, and also to set the tree well below the 

 line of budding so that the sun may not scald the 

 bark. The best preventive is not to buy stock 

 so budded, for after the orchard has stood, say a 

 dozen years, the trees, — notably sour cherry trees, 

 will suddenly die without notice. 



All plants when set — trees, shrubs, vines — 

 should be thoroughly tamped — i. e,, the earth 

 should be fully and firmly pressed down, as it is 

 put over the roots, imbedding the rootlets and 

 preventing their drying out. The common method 

 of setting strawberry plants is an illustration. 

 Usually the farmer chooses a cloudy or even a 

 rainy day for setting them. He uses a piece of 

 wood, a sort of conical trowel with which he 

 first presses out the hole, then, shaking out 

 the roots, he holds the plant amidst the hole 

 and with the tool presses the soft earth firmly 

 about the roots. Many a tree perishes because 

 the planter neglected to press the soil firmly 

 about the rootlets. 



All fruit-trees and nut-bearing shrubs, except 



