THE APPLE. 



77 



cellar, with their roots buried in soil. As few cellars are fit for 

 this purpose it is generally safer to bury them outside. As a rule 

 it is best for planters to get their trees in the fall, as they are then 

 more certain to get good stock, and there is no delay in waiting for 

 them to come in the spring. The trees may be set as soon as the 

 soil works easily in the spring, and until the trees break into leaf. 

 As a rule moderately early planting gives the best results, but trees 

 should never be set in wet, sticky soil. 



Heeling In is a term used to designate the temporary bury- 

 ing of the roots of trees or plants in earth or other material. If the 

 trees are to be moved again in a few days a very light covering 

 will be sufficient ; but if they are to remain several weeks much 

 care should be taken to do the work well. To begin with, select a 

 dry, mellow piece of ground; dig a wide trench, put in the trees— 

 i few at a time— either in an erect or sloping position, and cover 

 them so deep and firm that they cannot dry out. If apple or other 

 somewhat tender trees are to remain heeled in over winter it will 

 be found best to commence by digging a trench about two feet deep 



Fig. 51. — Various stages of the operation. A, Jioio of trees with roots 

 covered; B, a row bent down and the tops covered with earth at C. 



and three feet wide in dry land, where no water will stand in the 

 trenches ; put in a layer of trees sloping ; cover the roots with a 

 thin layer of fine, mellow earth, filling in carefully and solid all the 

 interstices among the roots and stems ; continue thus until all the 

 trees are in, when the tops and all should be bent down to the 

 ground and entirely covered with about six inches of earth. Fig- 

 ure 51 shows the various stages of the operation. (.-1, Row of trees 

 with roots covered; B, A row bent down and the tops covered 

 with earth at C.) The stems and all should be completely covered 

 when the work is finished. 



Depth to Plant.— In the best locations the trees should be set 

 about four inches deeper than they grew in the nursery. In very 

 dry, light soil they may be put twelve inches deeper than they 

 naturally grew. On steep hillsides they must be set much deeper, 

 or they will come too near the surfa<?e owing to the slope of the 

 land. One of the most important objects secured by deep planting 



