IV PLANTING 61 



to cut the tap-roots, and will even " lift " the roots 

 of their vines, peach, and other trees if they prove 

 unfruitful, lay them in again nearer the surface, and 

 encourage them by all means in their power to remain 

 there. They know that the produce of tap-roots is 

 gross wood without blossom, and that fibrous surface 

 roots must be looked to for flowers and fruitfulness ; 

 yet some recommend the seedling briar as a stock 

 because it roots deeper, although we surely want 

 flowers, not gross wood alone, from the Eose as well 

 as the fruit-tree. 



In planting, therefore, at the depth recommended, 

 carefully spread out the roots horizontally, equally in 

 all directions if possible, though this cannot always 

 be done, purchased dwarfs often having roots point- 

 ing only in one direction, which arises in some 

 degree from carelessness and haste in originally 

 planting the stocks. If a separate hole be made for 

 each plant, let it be wide enough ; do not curve the 

 roots or let them cross each other. If they naturally 

 want to cross, or there be two or more going in the 

 same direction, put some fairly light soil between 

 them that they may lie in layers but always hori- 

 zontally. See that the soil which is put against the 

 roots themselves, or to cover each layer of roots, is 

 at all events fairly fine and crumbly, if not actually 

 dry and powdery, and especially that no manure is 

 put in actual contact with them ; lift the plant by 

 the top up and down a little with a shaking move- 

 ment to settle the soil more thoroughly amongst the 

 fibres. And remember that the whole operation of 

 planting is done much more thoroughly and expedi- 

 tiously by two men than one. If single-handed a 

 short pointed stick for scratching fine soil between 



