PREPARATION OF SOIL FOE ORCHARD. 



223 



instead of passing over the trees. Here are reasons 

 enough for the use of stakes, but tying the trees to them 

 is not among the number ; indeed, it might be called the 

 abuse of the stakes rather than their use, except in rare 

 cases. Even in the windy prairie country, no stakes 

 should be used, as supports, in a properly regulated or- 

 chard. 



When necessary to support a tree with stakes, after 

 an injury or accident, the plan of C. Rosenstiel, Free- 

 port, 111., is the best I have seen. 

 He adopts it as a means of keep- 

 ing his trees from being inclined 

 by the wind. He drives a stake 

 firmly into the ground, about a 

 foot to the southwest of his tree ; 

 a band of rye straw is cast about 

 the tree a few feet from the 

 ground; the two ends are twisted 

 and entwined together, forming 

 a stiff rope from the tree to the 

 stake, about which it is then cast, 

 and the ends are secured with a 

 piece of twine. By this appliance, 

 the tree is maintained in an erect 

 position without chafing; it can 

 only yield to the wind by wav- 

 Fig. 25. MANNER OF STAR- ing to the right or left; the 

 ING A TREE. band, by i^s tension, prevents it 



from leaving the stake, and, by its stiffness, holds it at a 

 proper distance, and prevents its approach. 



PLANTING comes next in order to the marking out, or 



