248 



FRUIT GROWING 



The tree is then set in such a manner that its trunk comes 

 through the center notch in perfect alignment. 



In planting large orchards, furrowing along the tree rows 

 is often practiced. The holes are cleaned out by hand. 

 As a rule the harder the soil, the larger the holes should 

 be dug. When the soil has been well prepared, the hole 

 need only be large enough to receive all the roots of the 

 tree without twisting or crowding. If the top soil is shallow 



and the subsoil hard, 

 the bottom of the 

 hole should be 

 loosened. A very 

 objectionable prac- 

 tice is that of throw- 

 ing coarse or fresh 

 manure into the 

 bottom of the hole. 

 While these materi- 

 als are decomposing, 

 they absorb mois- 

 ture and cause heat- 

 ing which is injuri- 

 ous to the roots of 

 the trees. It is a 

 better practice to 

 separate the rich surface soil from the subsoil when digging 

 the hole and to use only the best soil in the bottom of the 

 hole, packing it firmly about the roots, being careful that 

 no air spaces are left, especially beneath the crown. 



When the young tree is dug from the nursery, much of 

 the root system is removed, so that at the time of planting 

 the roots will be found with broken and ragged ends. 



"I 





Fig. 134. Planting young orchard trees. Note how 

 the hands are used in packing soil around the roots. 



