STARTING AN ORCHARD I PLANNING 



15 



HEELING IN" TREES : 



TRENCH READY ; 

 UNTYING NURSERY BUNDLE 



How to ' ' heel in ' ' 

 trees : Dig a trench, about 

 a foot and a half deep, the 

 same in width, and as long 

 as may be necessary ; if 

 possible, choose a high, 

 sheltered, well - drained 

 spot. Untie the bundles 

 of trees, and place them 

 loosely along the trench, 

 each variety by itself, 

 properly labeled. Half-a- 

 dozen trees to a running 

 foot is close enough. Of course put the roots in the 

 trench ; then incline the trees backward until they 

 are ' ' half lying down ' ' across the excavation. Now 

 shovel in fine dirt, carefully firm it into place, and 

 pile the remainder of the excavated dirt well up 

 around the roots and lower portion of trunks. If 

 the climate is very cold, or if rabbits and mice 

 are feared, earth can be piled still higher up 

 around the trunks and perhaps even around the 

 lower branches. If large quantities of trees are to be 



' 'heeled in, " work is les- 

 sened and matters sim- 

 plified if close-together 

 parallel trenches are 

 used instead of a single 

 long one, using the dirt 

 from each new trench to 

 cover the preceding one. 

 "HEELING IN" OPERATION Drain the water away 



COMPLETED, EXCEPT SHOVELING 



SOIL IN PLACE from the trenches. 



