Before obtaining fruit trees, the planter should preparing 

 thoroughly cultivate the land. In the case of THE land. 

 virgin soil a crop of meahes should be put in the 

 season before. Holes three feet square by two 

 to three feet deep should be dug beforehand, so 

 that the newly planted trees many get all the 

 moisture and rain available, and that the roots may 

 have a chance of spreading rapidly, which is es- 

 sential to the formation of a strong healthy tree. 

 Any white ants in or near the plantation should be 

 dug out or otherwise destroyed, as these pests are 

 very destructive to fruit trees in this country. As 

 in South Africa, they ring bark many of the young 

 trees. Thorough and constant cultivation, how- 

 ever, keeps them in check. 



A windbreak of Eucalyptus gums or other wind breaks. 

 quick growing trees, should be planted to protect 

 the trees from shedding their blossoms, and from 

 the strain of high winds when the branches are 

 fruit-laden. 



If the planter purchases his fruit trees direct ]., anting up. 

 from the nurseries, and does not propagate them 

 himself, he should place them under shade im- 

 mediately on arrival, and water well. He should 

 then take each tree separately and prune the roots. 

 Every root broken or bruised should be cut clean 

 with a sharp knife, and every dead root should be 

 taken out. The trees are then ready for planting. 

 It may often happen that when the trees have 

 taken three or four weeks in transit, they arrive 

 with suckers starting to shoot up from the roots. 

 All these should be taken oflF before planting. If 

 the main stems are dead on arrival, however, one 

 or two of these suckers may be left to grow, and 

 these will give in six months time a stock on 

 which to graft or bud a good variety. 



The best time to plant trees in this country is best time 

 at the beginning of a rainy season; but they may to plant. 

 also be planted in between seasons if well watered 

 at the time of planting, and regularly thereafter at 

 frequent intervals. The shamba should be 



thoroughly cultivated at least once a week to keep 

 down weeds, aerate the soil and to retain the 

 moisture. If the ground is allowed to become 



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