PLANTING THE TREES 51 



All of this, however, is written with a view of 

 emphasizing the fact that it costs money to clear 

 land. Remember this when the real-estate 

 agent talks about doing it for ten dollars an 

 acre. Of course if he wants to take the con- 

 tract at that price, that is another matter. 



It has been claimed that orchards planted on 

 "new ground" are more liable to be attacked 

 with the disease known as the root rot than are 

 those planted in old fields. This is no doubt 

 true. It is certainly logical to suppose that 

 such a disease, living as it does on the dead 

 roots of trees, might be more common in newly 

 cleared land than in old fields. It may attack 

 trees in both situations, however, but by careful 

 planting much of it may be avoided even on 

 virgin soil. 



After the forest is cleared away, or if the 

 orchard is to be planted on old fields, the 

 ground should be thoroughly plowed. Many 

 growers prefer to do this in the fall and then 

 harrow it just before the time to plant in the 

 spring. In any event it should be plowed as 

 deeply as possible as this is the last deep plow- 

 ing it is liable to get for some time. Just be- 

 fore planting time the ground should be har- 

 rowed level and it is then ready for staking, 

 preparatory to planting the trees. Many grow- 

 ers desire to set a stake for every tree, but if 

 you have a thousand or more trees to plant you 



