THE COUNTRY HOME [chaptek 



with water; and when you have obtained your 

 trees, wet the roots constantly as each one is set in 

 its place. We call it puddling the roots, because 

 we pour the water in until the ground is soaked. 

 In digging and carrying evergreens, be sure that 

 the roots are never exposed to the sun or the wind. 

 As soon as out of the ground, wrap them with wet 

 matting or with wet straw. If not planted as soon 

 as dug, puddle the roots in a pond or brook. When 

 you plant, draw out only one at a time. Evergreens, 

 however, do not like to stand in wet soil — that is, 

 most of them do not. The hemlock will grow in a 

 swamp, but does much better on well-drained, high 

 land. As soon as your windbreak or hedge is 

 planted, mulch it. Use either coal ashes or saw- 

 dust. Always bear in mind that barnyard manure 

 must not come near the roots of fruit trees or ever- 

 greens — or, for that matter, anything that you 

 plant on your lawns. A top dressing of thoroughly 

 decomposed manure will do no harm, but is not 

 advisable. As soon as your tree is set, or sooner, 

 if more convenient, cut back very sharply. Bring 

 all the plants into shapeliness — removing from one- 

 third to two-thirds of the wood. Your hedge will 

 not be beautiful till after several years of careful 



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