APPLE. 



187 



"heeled in" over winter, it will be found best to commence by 

 digging a trench about two feet deep and three feet wide in dry 

 land, where no water will stand in the trenches; put in a layer of 

 trees, sloping; cover over the roots with a thin layer of fine, mel- 



Fig. 89. Heeling-in. Showing methods followed in heeling-in trees 

 of orchard transplanting size. 



low earth, filling in carefully and solid all the interstices among 

 the stems and roots; continue thus until all the trees are in, when 

 the tops should be bent to the ground and covered with a few 

 inches of earth. 



Depth to plant. In the best locations, the trees should be 

 set about four inches deeper than they grew in the nursery. In 

 very dry, light soil, they may be put, perhaps, twelve inches deeper 

 than they naturally grew. On steep hillsides, they must be set much 

 deeper or they will come too near the surface, owing to the slope of 

 the land. One of the most important objects secured by deep 

 planting is the sending out of roots from the cion, for when 

 trees are well rooted from the cion they are generally much im- 

 proved in hardiness. However, in deep, retentive soil deep plant- 

 ing is not desirable. 



Distance apart to plant. In favorable locations apples should 

 be set farther apart than where the conditions are very severe. 

 Most varieties do best toward the northern limits of apple growing 



