FRUIT TREES. Chap. II. 49 



I don't make any further case or urge any other precaution other than to leave it to the 

 ability & good faith of the nurseryman who appears to have the best of these qualities, & 

 for whom it is just as important not to mislead the customer as it is for the customer not 

 to be misled. 



7°. As the trees are lifted, label them, and tie them into bundles of eight, twelve, 

 or eighteen, according to size. Arrange the roots & interlace them with one another. 

 Cover it all up with a lot of straw tied with wicker to keep the roots from drying out & the 

 trees from being damaged in transport. 



8°. If the transport will take a very long time, cover all of the roots with wet moss, 

 place a length of straw on top of them, cover it all up with packing cloth, a reed mat, &c, 

 tie it up well & secure it with twine. Similarly supply and cover the trunks with a lot of 

 straw. To reduce the volume, grafts can be cut back to two or three inches shorter than 

 they will be when the trees are set in place, & remove from the top most of the branches 

 that have to be cut off. Protect the trees from frost during transport, & every five or six 

 days dip the ends of the bundles containing the roots into water, or sprinkle some on them 

 to maintain their moisture. Low-stemmed trees can be transported more securely in cases 

 or baskets well supplied with straw, or better with wet moss that doesn't mildew & stays 

 damp for a long time. 



9°. If the journey hasn't been longer than three or four days, their roots of the trees 

 must be soaked in water for several hours on arrival. Trim them, remove all the root hair, 

 and plant them the way we've described above. Cut back the graft to five to seven inches 

 above the insertion point, with the hope that branches of the desired quality will grow out 

 in the right direction. If the journey had been a long one, the roots are left to soak for two 

 or three twenty-four hour periods. If in the end 



