APPLES 



169 



an inch wide on the side of the board 

 that will include the hole made iu the 

 middle and then saw out this piece. 

 Stakes, 12 to 14 inches long, are pro- 

 vided which will easily slip through the 

 end holes. In using this device, the 

 groove in the center of the board is 

 placed tightly against the stake standing 

 where the tree is to go, a stake is pushed 

 into the ground through each of the holes 

 at the end, then the bar is removed. 

 After the hole has been dug it is only 

 necessary to replace the board over the 

 end stakes and bring the trunk of the 

 tree to occupy the same position as that 

 occupied by the stake. After the hole 

 is practically filled the bar is again 

 brought into service and the tree placed 

 in its exact position. 



Triangle 



The second common device employed tor 

 locating trees is a triangle made by nail- 

 ing firmly together three strips each one- 

 half inch thick, two inches wide and six 

 feet long, allowing a projection of three 

 inches of the strips at the corners of the 



Fig. 3. Triangle for Locating Trees. 



triangle thus formed. In use, one pro- 

 jecting corner of the triangle is placed 

 firmly against the stake standing where 

 the tree is to go and a stake driven in 

 each of the other two corners, the triangle 

 is removed, the hole dug and the tree 

 brought into exact position similarly to 

 that given for the bar. 



For Large Areas 



Where large areas are to be planted 

 it is often wise to have two or four of 



these tree locating devices all constructed 

 according to the same specifications. Two 

 men proceed to locate the temporary stakes 

 and to dig the holes while two others 

 follow, with the same kind of locating 

 device, setting the trees. 



Aside from the fact that the tree lo- 

 caters are serviceable in putting the trees 

 in their exact positions, they also give the 

 planter a good idea of the depth at which 

 the trees are being set. Without their 

 use, trees may easily be placed in the 

 holes and the earth filled in about them 

 before it is discovered that the planting 

 has been too shallow, 



J, R. Shinn, 

 Moscow, Idaho. 



Protecting the Boots 



When the ground is ready for planting, 

 the trees are hauled to the land, distrib- 

 uted at convenient distances, and heeled- 

 in in bunches. The roots should not be 

 exposed to the air more than is abso- 

 lutely necessary. 



Puddling 



Some growers believe in "puddling" the 

 trees before they are taken to the field. 

 This operation consists in dipping the 

 roots in a semi-liquid made of clay and 

 water. The clay forms a coating over the 

 roots and prevents their drying out. It 

 is claimed that fewer failures follow the 

 planting of puddled trees than trees that 

 have not been so treated. If the planting 

 is done during drying weather, this treat- 

 ment may prove to be an advantage, but 

 where ordinary care is exercised in pro- 

 tecting the roots from the sun and wind, 

 there is little need for such treatment. 

 The trees for immediate planting may be 

 distributed by using a barrel on a stone 

 boat. If the barrel is kept about half full 

 of water and the trees left in it until 

 needed for planting, there will be no dan- 

 ger of their dying out. 



Method of Planting 



The work of planting may be most ex- 

 peditiously done with four men, or two 

 men and two boys. One man operates the 

 planting-board, another digs the holes, a 

 third brings the trees and holds them in 

 position, while the fourth man shovels in 

 the soil. Boys may be used to operate the 



