1888.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 151 



SUGGESTIONS UPON PLANTING TREES AND SMALL 



FRUITS. 



[By S. T. Maynard, Professor of Botany and Horticulture, Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College.] 



The most important points to be considered in successful 

 planting of trees and small fruits are : — 



1. Selection of trees and plants. 



2. Preparation of the trees and plants. 



3. Soil and its preparation. 



4. Methods of planting. 



5. After-care and cultivation. 



Selection of Trees and Planting. 



Successful planting depends very largely upon the condi- 

 tion of the trees or plants at the time of planting. The 

 best results are generally obtained, other things being equal, 

 when the trees or plants are obtained from local nurseries, 

 and planted with little or no exposure to the drying influence 

 of the sun and air. The merits of the Massachusetts-grown 

 trees, as compared with those grown in the extensive nurse- 

 ries of distant States, are often discussed, and the latter 

 condemned for New England planting. While, in many of 

 the above-mentioned nurseries, owing to long experience, 

 especial skill and a soil naturally suited to the best growth, 

 very fine trees are grown, perhaps better than are generally 

 grown in small local nurseries, yet the danger from injury in 

 transporting, should they go a great distance, and the length 

 of time from digging to transplanting, will make it gener- 

 ally safer to depend upon home-grown trees where they can 

 be obtained. 



Great care must be exercised in digging, and, if large 

 quantities are to be dug at once, as soon as a few are dug 

 the roots should be protected by mats or blankets, or have 

 soil thrown over them until all are to be packed for trans- 

 porting or taken to the field for planting. In packing for 

 shipping, no material is so good to keep the roots moist and 

 prevent their heating as clean sphagnum moss ; for short 

 distances, moist straw or hay may answer very well for this 

 purpose. 



