No. 129. 1 485 



limbs before the roots can beccme established in their new loca- 

 tion for its reception ; second, to get a more equable balance of 

 limbs greater in number and more evenly divided about the trunk 

 than could occur in the nursery rows, for there the close prox- 

 imity of other trees in the same row would cause all the branches 

 to grow towards the next row, whereas, when set in place for 

 final growth, with plenty of room and no disturbing causes, 

 branches will put out more evenly and in all directions. 



Preparation of holes for planting. — Dig the holes large, and do 

 not, because the tree is small, suppose that the hole must be small ; 

 also, in replacing the soil, do not return that which came out of 

 the hole, but fill it up with surface soil, and leave the subsoil 

 removed from the hole on the surface of the surrounding ground, 

 to be improved by the combined action of the sun and air. Be 

 careful to place the tree no deeper in the soil than when it left 

 the nursery row ; and to prevent the settling of the earth in the 

 hole, and thus burying the tree more deeply, hold fast the trunk 

 by the hand and settle the surrounding soil by a stream of water. 

 Each of these holes should be three feet deep and three in diam- 

 eter, which, if filled with sui'face soil alone, will furnish pabulum 

 for the tree and room for its roots to gain strength before reach- 

 ing the hard soil and becoming disfigured from want of firmness 

 to enter it. Such a cistern of loose soil will be forever the recip- 

 ient of the moisture and the gases of the atmosphere. Dressing 

 around the immediate trunk and on the surface of the soil of the 

 lime and salt mixture we have so often recommended, will prevent 

 the entrance of the peach worm into the tender bark of the tree. 

 Remove the earth slightly from around the trunk each fall, to 

 prevent the secreting of the worm and the too early swelling 

 of the buds in spring. 



Mew Growth. — The tree, positioned and treated as above di- 

 rected, having been transplanted in early spring, will put out a 

 large number of branches, very few of which need be removed. 

 The following spring every branch should be shortened in two- 

 thirds of its length, cutting next and close to a wood bud and 

 never to a fruit bud; if so trimmed, the wood bud will continue 

 the growth, healing over the end without change of direction ; 



