MANUAL OF GENERAL AGRICULTURE. 73 



of the wire by stretching the wire along one of the base- 

 lines. Having set the stakes along the outside line, start 

 at the same end of the field again, and set another line of 

 stakes, parallel with the first and the length of the wire 

 (chain) from it. Follow out this method until the entire 

 field is laid out in checks. With the check lines estab- 

 lished it is only necessary now to set stakes at the 20 foot 

 marks on the wire where the trees are to be planted. 



61. HOW TO PLANT A TREE. 



Materials as described in experiment. Make a tree- 

 setting board out of a piece of pine one inch by 4 inches 

 by four feet long. About an inch from each end of the 

 board, bore a hole an inch or so in diameter. Then saw 

 a triangular notch in the middle of one side of the board, 

 making the notch about one inch across and one and 

 one-half inch deep. 



Make two stakes small enough to be driven through 

 the holes, and a foot in length. Place the notch against 

 the stake where the tree is to be planted and push the 

 stakes through the holes into the ground then remove 

 the center stake and board. Dig a hole not less than 

 eighteen inches in diameter and eighteen inches deep. 

 After the hole is dug, replace the board over the end of 

 the stakes and plant the tree with the trunk resting 

 against the center notch. In setting out the tree, one 

 person should hold the tree in an upright position against 

 the notch while another shovels or fills in loose soil around 

 it, first spreading out the roots and rootlets in as natural 

 position as possible. The surface soil should be put in 

 first among the roots taking care to fill every interstice, 

 thus bringing all the roots in direct contact with the soil. 

 When the hole is two-thirds full, firm the earth thoroughly 

 about the roots, but before doing this draw the tree up 

 to its permanent position. The top three or four inches 

 should not be tramped unless the ground is wet from 

 recent rains. Scoop a basin out around the tree which 

 will hold at least ten gallons of water and apply water 

 either by bucket or irrigation. The following day draw 



