APPENDIX. 429 



riety with a superior fruit. My own experience leads me to believe 

 that birds prefer most mulberries to cherries, and this belief has 

 been confirmed })y fruit growers in several States. If cherry 

 growers would plant around their orchards a double row of early 

 mulberries, and grow only the varieties of cherries which bear a 

 firm, hard fruit, they might avoid the depredations of the birds, 

 but the nmlberry trees should be set when the cherries are planted 

 or before, so that they may begin to fruit at least as early as the 

 cherries. 



Aly own cherries were practically uninjured with a row of fruit- 

 ing mulberries near by, and I have seen the cherries on several 

 trees mature imtouched within a few yards of a heavily fruited 

 Charles Downing. 



It is a common complaint that plants and trees set out to attract 

 birds are not hardy, do not thrive, or die. This is due, in many 

 cases, to improper planting. The roots of a plant or tree should 

 be kept moist from the time they leave the soil until they are again 

 buried in it, and they should never be set in dry earth. If the soil 

 is dry when the plant is to be set out, both soil and roots should 

 be well moistened. See that every plant that is set out has a good 

 supply of fibrous roots, and trim down the head of the tree or 

 shrub almost to a whip. In digging up the young plant the fibrous 

 roots usually are closely pruned; if the top is not pruned to cor- 

 respond, the tree will be top-heavy and may die back. 



The customary way of setting out a plant, tree or vine is to dig 

 a little hole in the sod or among the roots of standing trees and 

 stick the plant in. Ninety-nine per cent, of the plants or trees set 

 out in this manner do not make rapid growth, and if the hundredth 

 one does well it is a fortunate accident. In order to secure the best 

 results, ground in which plants or trees are to be set should be culti- 

 vated and manured for at least two years before the tre&s are 

 planted, but the least that should be done is to spade up the ground 

 for some distance around each tree, shrub or vine, and dig a hole 

 large enough to spread out the roots as far in all directions as they 

 will go. The tree or plant should be set a trifle deeper in the soil 

 than it formerly set, and good soil should be worked down among 

 the roots and packed hard with the hands and feel, leaving no possible 

 space among the roots unfilled with earth. If quick growth is 

 reciuired, a reasonal>le quantity of fertilizer, containing phosphoric 

 acid, nitrogen anfl potash, such as wood ashes and ground bone 

 mixed with well-rotted manure, may be scattered through and 

 well mixed with the soil in the hole, and the surface may be 



