46 FRUIT CULTURE. 



soil, enabling the newly forming fibres to take a rapid 

 hold of the ground and radiate over it. 



Then one operator should hold up the tree, placing it 

 to the south-west side of the stake towards the prevailing 

 wind, whilst the other places on the roots some soil, the 

 finer the better. See that the roots are well spread out, 

 and none of them curled back or doubled under the tree. 

 When covered with line soil, slightly shake the tree up 

 and down, to help the soil to settle between the fibres, but 

 do not lift enough to draw the roots out ; and here it will 

 be found very useful to have a small stake with a round 

 end in one hand, to help to fill in the soil firmly about 



FIG. 8. CORRECT PLANTING. 



the roots, which is better and more safely done at this 

 stage with the stake than with the foot. Then add more 

 soil, and tread it in, taking great care not to bruise the 

 stem or any of the roots. Next add a little more manure, 

 and finish by placing the remainder of the soil on the 

 surface, covering up the tree to the collar, or to the 

 depth at which it has stood in the nursery. Then gently 

 tread the whole, leaving it in a -mound. Bear in mind 

 that the object is to place the roots in such a position that 

 they may extend horizontally, spreading in all directions 

 in the surface soil, as shown on Fig. 8, and on no ac- 



