186 THE CALIFORNIA 



JIOW TO PLANT. 



The ground being prepared, as I have said before, 

 take your plants that you have grown from seeds, or 

 cuttings, or layers, and plant them. Here in California, 

 according to your locality and soil, I would recommend 

 that the rows be from ten to twelve feet apart ; but in 

 the rows I would put them double, or from five to six 

 feet. Every six rows, I would make the distance be- 

 tween the rows six or eight feet wider, because it is 

 necessary to leave room enough to pass with your wagon 

 to load your branches in ; because, if you had to run 

 too far it would be a loss of time, and it is to your ad- 

 vantage to plant in such a way as to render the work 

 easier and quicker. 



For our California culture, it is necessary in planting 

 to have your trees cut at about three or four inches 

 above the level of the ground, because they must be 

 kept low, so as to render the gathering of the branches 

 easy ; and another advantage of keeping them very low 

 is, that they produce more branches, and consequently 

 more food. 



For the gathering of the branches you must have 

 good pruning shears, as they are the best for that work 

 to do it well and quickly. In gathering your branches, 

 I wish to call your attention to a very important point y 

 and that is, if you cut all the branches at the time of 

 feeding, the effect will be to stop the sap, which is fur- 

 nished by the roots, and ruin your trees, that, under 

 such a treatment, would hardly live two years ; and you 



