24 



the point where each sort runs out. When you come to 

 the last plant in each bundle shovel the fine earth gently 

 over the roots, a little at a time, so that it shall wriggle 

 well in among them, and it will he no harm should the 

 earth cover one half or even more of the stem. Suppose 

 the trees have come from far, you may dip the bundle in 

 water to wet the contents thoroughly, and then proceed as 

 before. If they have been very badly used in transit, and 

 the bark at the top looks at all shrivelled, you may give 

 them a somewhat longer bath, but not much. In such case 

 it is far better to rake the fresh earth-slope back a little 

 and cover the young trees with a thin cool upthrow of 

 earth. Mne times out of ten a day and a night of such 

 treatment will make them look as plump as ever. Nor is 

 this at all wonderful. Every green part of a tree, not ex- 

 cepting the stem, while it is young and still keeps its green 

 colour, transpires actively. Hence the temporary wilting 

 is due to the young bark having thrown off a considerable 

 quantity of moisture which cannot be replenished from the 

 severed roots. The cool, moist earth round the green stems 

 enables them to recover themselves and get back that 

 moisture they have lost. 



24. Be very careful that no mixing of the sorts occurs 

 through the officious helpfulness of the labourers. In fact, 

 unless the number is very large, it is best for one person 

 only to do the heeling in, and thus secure accuracy in 

 labelling and the avoidance of mixture. It is altogether 

 aggravating to find an odd peach or apple breaking the 

 symmetry of a line intended to carry fruit all of one kind. 

 Eemember also that it is no business of the nurseryman to 

 cut back your graftlings to what he may choose to consider 

 a standard size. In fact this is done by most nurserymen 

 merely to save themselves a little trouble in packing, and 

 to make what they are pleased to term a neater bale. 

 Insist on having the trees sent you precisely as they were 

 lifted from the ground in the nursery -bed with the digging- 

 fork. The subsequent shaping of the tree is your work, 

 and must be deferred until you have got it stt in its place 

 in your orchard. 



25. The actual planting of the tree is about as simple as 

 a thing can be. Yet often curious mistakes are made. It 



