67 



depth less than three feet, he will find himself 

 amply repaid, in the better growth and health 

 of his trees. If holes are dug over twenty 

 inches deep, they may be filled up to that 

 depth with cobble stones, old bones, or even 

 gravel. The rest of the hole should be filled 

 with a mixture of the soil, subsoil, and rich, 

 black loam, or well rotted compost manure, to 

 the height where it is proper to place the tree. 

 With the hand or spade shape the soil for the 

 roots, into the form of a little cone, on which 

 to set the hollow in the centre of the clump 

 of roots. If this is done some weeks, or even 

 months, before setting the tree, it will be all 

 the better. 



2d. Preparing and placing the tree. If the 

 ground is dry, or if the roots have been much 

 exposed to the air since the tree was taken up, 

 soak the roots and the lower part of the trunk 

 in water, twelve or twenty- four hours. Cut 

 off all bruises and broken ends of roots smooth- 

 ly with a knife, and shorten-in the longest, so 

 that the clump of roots may have a somewhat 

 circular form. In cutting a root, always en- 

 ter the knife upon the under side, and bring it 

 out. with a slope, to the upper side, so that 

 the fibres which may shoot out from the edges 



