OUT-DOOR PLANTING. 11 



CHAP. III. 



SEASONS FOR PLANTING AND PRUNING. 



The season for planting is a busy, and it must be confessed, 

 a somewhat harrassing period. It is "dig sine otio." The 

 time which succeeds the first rest of the sap, that is, the early 

 part of winter, is the most suitable for the work in hand. If 

 neglected, then that period which immediately precedes the 

 first movements of vegetation is the best. 



As to young trees in the orchard house, any time during 

 ■winter will do for them. If they are ready to bear, of course, 

 the less they are disturbed late in the season the better their 

 chance of setting tlieir crop will be. But then, these trees 

 can be bought now ready potted, and thus a new house may 

 be stocked at any time. If destined to continue in pots, 

 when carefully packed, no injury is done to them, and if for 

 plantation in the borders, they are equally ready, summer 

 and winter, with ordinary care ; and therefore a tree estab- 

 lislied one or two years in a pot is ready for any use. 



For out-door planting, if not on too large a scale, trees 

 thus potted are far the safest ; their roots are more established, 

 and are infinitely more full of fibres, and the indispensable 

 spongioles are not cut off in transplanting. This is the rule 

 in the case of more valuable and delicate trees : pears, plums, 

 and apples are easily managed. By having a portion of your 

 trees in pots, you may be ready for your house if not already 

 built, and time will thus be gained. You may house them, or 

 leave them out of doors near some sunny spot, protecting the 

 surface of the pots from drenching rains, by a few slates. Some 

 branches placed to windward, and a mat around them, will 

 preserve any fruit tree from injury ; or it may so happen that 

 a friend has a spare corner in his own orchard house, or a 

 slight shed can be run up. All these are simple means and 

 obvious resources, if the season for planting should come on 



