ROEDING'S FRUIT GROWERS' GUIDE 



I I 



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Alternate 

 680 

 435 

 302 

 222 

 170 

 134 

 109 

 90 

 75 

 70 

 64 

 56 

 48 

 43 

 34 

 27 

 22 



Note. All of these figures are not exact for planting 

 one acre, but are intended for the planting of a multiple 

 of acres. 



BLASTING THE HOLES 



Much interest has been manifested of late years in 

 dynamiting the holes prior to the planting of the trees. 

 It is absolutely necessary to do this in hardpan soils in 

 order to plant trees at all. 



It has been the practice not to blast where the hard- 

 pan came within three feet of the surface. Actual 

 experience has demonstrated that not only striking and 

 remarkable development in the growth of trees had been 

 secured by blasting where hardpan was found, but in 

 any soil of a heavy, compact nature. It does not take 

 much of a stretch of the imagination to comprehend the 

 fact that a thorough disintegration of the soil, per- 

 mitting the roots to ramify in every direction, will pro- 

 mote a rapid root and top growth. The drilling of the 

 hardpan is .carried on very expeditiously nowadays by 

 the use of a power drill mounted on a wagon. 



IMPORTANT DETAILS 



As has been suggested previously, above all things 

 have your ground in the very best condition of tilth. 

 The importance of this one point cannot be dwelt upon 

 too forcibly, for it not only insures more rapid work on 

 the part of the men setting your trees, but in addition 

 to this, not having any clods to contend with, the fine 

 loose soil packs around the roots, when tramped in. If 

 for any reason there should be no water available for 

 settling the trees there is less likelihood of their drying 

 out. 



A stake about half an inch square and one foot long, 

 split out of redwood, will be found to be a very conven- 

 ient size^as a marker for the setting of the trees. Dip 

 about six inches of one end in whitewash. They can 

 then be readily seen, and should any of the stakes be 

 out of line it will be noticed at once. Before digging the 

 holes it is necessary to have a tree setting board. This 

 is easily made out of a piece of 1x4 six feet long with an 

 inch hole at each end and a notch in the center. Place 

 the notched center against the stake where the tree is to 

 be planted and push a stake into the ground through the 

 holes at each end of the planter and remove the center 

 stake. The hole may now be dug and this should not 

 be less than 18 inches in diameter and 18 inches deep. 

 After the hole is dug, replace the board over the end 

 stakes in its former position, then plant the tree with 

 the trunk end resting against the center notch in the 

 board and it will be in identically the same place as the 

 stake which was removed to dig the hole. 



In setting out, one person should hold the tree in an 

 upright position against the notch in the tree setter, 

 while another shovels or fills in the loose soil around it, 

 first spreading out the roots and rootlets in as natural a 

 position as possible. The surface or friable soil should 

 be put in first among the roots, care being taken to fill 

 in every interstice, thus bringing all the roots in direct 

 contact with the soil. When the hole is two-thirds full, 

 firm the earth thoroughly about the roots, but before 

 doing this draw the tree up to its permanent position. 

 The top three to four inches of soil should not to be 

 tramped. 



8FT. 



Planting board. " 



A basin should be scooped out around the tree which 

 will hold at least fifteen gallons of water, and unless 

 heavy rains should intervene to fill it up, water should 

 be applied either by bucket or by irrigation. The fol- 

 lowing day draw in loose soil to fill up this basin, reduc- 

 ing it to a fine condition of tilth and do not tramp in. 

 Guard against setting too deeply, but allow for the 

 settling of the soil, so that when once established the 

 tree will stand about as it did at the time of removal 

 from the nursery rows, or at the outside not more than 

 three inches below the surface of the soil. In the hot 

 interior valleys of this state, it is also very important 

 to protect the trunks with tree-protectors until they can. 

 supply their own shade. 



