Planting Fruit Trees 



make the cut on the upper side or on the lower side 

 of the root. 



PLANTING. 



The actual operation of planting must be done 

 by at least two persons, one to hold the tree and 

 spread the roots, and another to shovel in the soil. 



The lower roots are spread first, whilst the others 

 are held well up around the stem and out of the way 

 until the lower roots are covered with soil ; then a 

 few more roots are spread out and covered, and so 

 on until the hole is filled. 



As stated above, the holes should not be made 

 very deep ; there is usually a mark on the stem 

 which shows how deep the tree was planted in the 

 nursery, and that may be taken as a guide ; it may 

 be noted also that the topmost fibry roots should 

 be about 2 inches beneath the ground-level after 

 the tree is planted. (See Fig. 5.) 



Tarred yarn may be used to tie the tree to the 

 stake, and a figure-of-eight tie (see Fig. 5) will 

 hold the tree firmly. Standard trees may need 

 tying in two places i.e., near the top of the stake 

 and near the ground-level. 



The soil must be made very firm by treading or 

 by ramming after planting, but care must be taken 

 not to damage the roots. A mulch of leaf -mould, 

 bracken, or decayed material from the compost 

 heap may be given after planting, to protect the 

 topmost roots from frost, but dung should not be 

 used except on very poor soil, and even then the dung 

 should be well decayed. 



On very heavy soils trees may be planted almost 

 on the top of the ground, soil being heaped up 

 around the roots and extra stakes provided. 



16 



