CHAPTER XXI 



PLANTING FRUIT TREES 

 By GEORGE BUNYARD 



Season. — Bush fruit trees, currants, gooseberries, &c., may be planted towards 

 the end of October and onwards until April. It is best to plant plum 

 trees early in November ; apple and pear trees about mid-November. If the 

 latter are transplanted earlier the shoots are liable to shrivel. The planting 

 of all fruit trees can be performed whenever the land is in good condition, from 

 November until April. Generally speaking, it is best done before Christmas, 

 although experience proves that late planted trees will thrive well if the work 

 is carefully and thoroughly carried out. Trees planted later than January 

 should not be pruned until after the first summer's growth. 



How TO Plant. — If a small hole is made for a large mass of roots, if the 

 roots are crammed into the hole without care, or if they are shortened so as to 

 be made to fit into a hole of a certain size, failure is almost certain to result. 

 The following are the most important points to observe in planting fruit trees : 

 (a) the position having been chosen, a hole should be made 3 feet wide and 

 I j feet deep ; these dimensions usually will be sufficient. Break up the soil at 

 the base of the hole, {b) If the roots of the tree are spreading they should be 

 shortened back as much as is necessary by cutting them with a sharp knife 

 from below; any which are growing directly downwards should be shortened 

 to 6 inches : these are commonly called tap-roots. They are apt to encourage 

 gross growth to the detriment of fertility. A sufficient number of " anchor " 

 roots must be left to keep the tree firm, {c) Place the tree in the hole, and if 

 the soil mark upon the stem — showing how deep the tree was planted before — 

 is below the surface, throw in sufficient soil to raise this soil mark 3 inches 

 above the level of the ground. Then cover the roots with fine soil, spreading 

 out the lowest ones ; lift the upper fibrous roots and add more soil beneath so 

 as to raise them near the surface. Shake the tree stem to make the soil fill all 

 the interstices, then fill the hole to within 3 inches of the ground surface, {d) 

 Make this soil very firm by treading, taking care not to bruise the roots. If 

 the tree is a standard, it may then be staked, {e) Completely fill the remaining 

 space with soil, and tread it down lightly. As before mentioned, take care 

 that the earth mark upon the stem is 2 or 3 inches above the ground surface ; 

 it is certain to sink to some extent. It is always best to plant so that the 

 fibrous roots are near the surface. Deep planting, especially in damp and clay 

 soils, is fatal ; the hole is then nothing better than a water trap. (/) Complete 

 the staking, placing straw between the tree and the stake, where they are tied 



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