51 



derived through the miall or fibrous roots, and a few hours' 

 exposure of these to a drying or cold wind will injure them 

 more than a journey of weeks, when the roots are protected 

 with damp moss or litter. 



In planting, the holes should be' dug deep and wide, say two 

 or three feet deep crnd as many wide ; the sub-soil should be 

 thrown to one side and replaced with top soil. A little old 

 fine manure, worked well in with the dirt in the bottom of the 

 hole, will do no injury, but no new manure shoidd be used 

 around the roots. The tree should be planted as deep as it 

 formerly stood in the nursery. Those who have only small 

 gardens will always be well repaid for "trenching" the entire 

 plot, 18 to 24 inches deep. In that case no deep holes to be 

 filled up will be necessary. It is important (but often neg- 

 lected) to cut smooth the end of qxqy^ root before planting, 

 for however well the trees may be taken up with the spade, the 

 roots will be left rough and broken. In planting trees, a 

 person should not be afraid to get upon his knees, and make 

 good use of his hands. Every root and fibre should be care- 

 fully straightened out, and fine soil be well worked in, so that 

 every cayity may be packed full. Here is one great secret in 

 transplanting trees of any kind, to have the dirt come firmly 

 in contact with every root. Do not, as is sometimes recom- 

 mended in books, lift the tree up and down to work in the dirt, 

 but hold it perfectly still till finished. No water need be used, 

 unless the ground is very dry, when a pailful may be thrown 

 upon the roots after they are covei-ed, and the dirt drawn over 

 that. As soon as the ground becomes dry enough around the 

 tree, press it down firmly with the foot, and if the weather 

 continues dry go over the trees again, drawing up more dirt 

 and stamp it down as before. Very large trees may require 

 staking to keep them in place, but for those of common size 

 this will not be necessary. 



The next operation will be " head in" the tree ; cut off the 

 superfluous limbs, and cut hack all the remaining branches, 

 according to their growth and the amount of roots. The tree 

 as it stood in the nursery, as nature formed it, had roots to 



