CARE OF TREES 249 



These should be trimmed off with a sharp knife, making 

 a clean cut that will heal readily. In planting, one man 

 should hold the tree with one hand and pack the soil well 

 about the roots with the other, using his fingers for pushing 

 the soil under the crown and between the roots and finally 

 tramping it down firmly with his heels ; while another 

 shovels the soil into the hole. If the soil is not too wet, 

 there is little danger of packing it too firmly. It is a 

 common mistake to leave the soil too loose about the roots. 

 The poorer soil may be finally used on top, the upper sur- 

 face of which should be left loose to prevent the loss of 

 soil moisture. If it is desirable to use fresh or strawy 

 manure, it is a good plan to mulch the top of the soil 

 with it, but well-decomposed manure may be thoroughly 

 mixed with the soil before planting. If the planting is 

 done in the fall, the soil should be banked up for at 

 least a foot around the tree to prevent the wind from 

 loosening it during the winter, and also to provide surface 

 drainage and protection from mice. Care and attention 

 in the first planting of the tree is more economical than 

 resetting. 



Care of Trees the First Season. The season directly 

 after planting is the most critical period in the life of a tree. 

 Whatever system of orchard management is finally adopted, 

 everything should be done the first season to enable the 

 trees to make a strong vigorous growth. If tillage is 

 practiced, it should be done thoroughly and often, as it 

 not only conserves soil moisture, but accelerates the chemi- 

 cal action of the soil, making plant food more available. 

 If mulching is practiced, a heavy application of straw or 

 manure should be given, spreading it out a good distance 

 from the trees. Cultivation or mulching with manure or 



