APPLES 



167 



Setting the Trees 



The laud is now supposed to be pre- 

 pared, and the next step is digging the 

 holes into which the trees are to be set. 

 These should be dug large enough and 

 deep enough so that the roots are not 

 crowded, curved or doubled up in plant- 

 ing and so that the tree will be a little 

 deeper below the surface than when it 

 left the nursery. It seems to us a little 

 better to dig all the holes before any of 

 the trees are set. Many pursue a differ- 

 ent plan, but the reason we give for this 

 is that when the trees are taken from 

 the pit where they have been heeled in 

 during the winter or to await setting, 

 they should not be exposed to the air for 

 any considerable period of time, lest the 

 drying process stop the circulation of sap 

 and the trees be less likely to live, but 

 they should be set as soon as possible 

 after they are taken out of the pit. The 

 roots at all times should be kept moist. 

 In fact, the most successful tree planters 



we have known kept the roots in a bar- 

 rel or tank of water which they hauled 

 along beside the rows and as soon as the 

 tree was taken from the water it was 

 set in the earth and a bucket of water 

 poured around the roots, then the loose, 

 dry earth was thrown over it and pressed 

 down closely at the top. 



Granville Lovvther 



TREE LOCATING DETICES 

 Planting Board 



After an orchard has been staked it is 

 imi)ortant that some device be used that 

 will serve to locate the trunk of the tree 

 in the same place occupied by the stake. 

 For this purpose one of two devices is 

 used by orchard planters. The first and 

 most common consists of a board one inch 

 thick, six inches wide and six feet long. 

 An inch hole is bored in the center and 

 one at each end at equal distances from 

 the center. To complete the construction 

 it is only necessary to mark out a strip 



Kg. 1. Method of Keeping Young Ti-ees in Barrels of Water to Trevent Drying 

 While Being Planted. 



