252 



CASSBLL'S POPULAE GARDENING. 



Method of Planting. — This resolves itself 

 into a matter of depth, diameter, disposition, des- 

 patch, and the solidarity of the roots. The proper 

 depth to plant is a vexed question, on which more 

 +Tees have been wrecked than perhaps any other. 

 Plant too deeply, growth is checked ; plant too 

 £eetly, the tree is crippled, if not killed. The 

 •tree-stem affords the only safe guide as to depth. 

 The original ground-line is clearly marked upon 

 it, and that ILqo ought to he followed to a hair's 

 breadth. It is nature's sure and certain iodex 

 as to depth. All above it is stem fitted for the air ; 

 all below it is \mder-ground stem or root ; and there 

 is nothing that trees and woody shrubs cling to 

 with more tenacity than this natural dividing-line 

 between earth and air. 



But as the roots seldom proceed from this Une, 

 the average depth of root-covering may be accepted 

 ■as six inches from the surface. But the roots often 

 proceed from the root-stock at lower planes, and 

 hence the holes for planting Apples may generally 

 be dug out to a depth of a foot or eighteen inches. 

 For older and larger trees they may have to be a 

 yard in depth. But for young trees, say a year or 

 .at most two from the graft, a foot or eighteen 

 inches will suffice. 



The diameter of the hole may vary from a yard to 

 isix feet, according to the size of the trees and the 

 number of their roots. Neither is it needful to make 

 ■the hole circular ; a square hole will do just as well 

 or better. The form is of little matter; that it 

 ■should be wider than the largest root is of vital 

 importance, so as to allow of each being spread out 

 to its utmost length, while still leaving a clear 

 space of several inches between it and the unmoved 

 «arth at the sides of the hole. 



The base of the hole should be made firm and 

 ■slightly elevated in the centre, and over this base an 

 inch or so of compost should be sprinkled, unless 

 indeed the whole of the soU has been worked or 

 ameliorated into a root'tempting medium by the pro- 

 cess already recommended. 



The next step in planting is the disposition of the 

 roots. If the tree is young, and the roots almost 

 ■wholly in one horizontal plane, this is very simple. 

 A stout stake should be placed in the centre of the 

 hole, to which loosely tie the tree, to keep it upright. 

 This simple process saves the necessity for another 

 'hand in planting. Place the tree in the hole, spread 

 out the roots regularly , and with a sharp knife cut 

 ■off any that are wounded or bruised, or any excess of 

 roots. Then sprinkle over them a little fine com- 

 post, or the choicest soil that has been removed, 

 scattering the earth on to the roots from the bole 

 outwards all round until the whole of the roots are 

 ■covered. 



An clods or lumps should be broken with the 

 spade before placing the earth over the roots, as the 

 attempt to break them afterwards would probably 

 break or bruise the roots as well. If all the earth is 

 returned the root -space will be a little higher than 

 the surroimding surface. But this -will approximate 

 to the general level as time, the great consolidator, 

 does its work. The surface of the soil is best left 

 rather loose, as this acts as a barrier to the escape of 

 heat and insures the conservation of vapour, loose 

 soil in fact acting in a similar manner, though not 

 to the same extent, as a surface mulch of cocoa-fibre 

 refuse, moss, or straw litter. 



Should any of the trees have roots at different 

 levels on the root-stock, the operation of planting 

 becomes more complicated, and should proceed 

 tentatively. The hole must be dug sufficiently deep 

 for the lower roots, and as soon as these are dis- 

 played carefully and covered, another layer will be 

 displayed, and so on, tiU the process is completed. 

 In practice, however, the process is at times more 

 difficult ; the roots proceed from the root-stock most 

 irregularly, one here and another there, and it is 

 important that each should proceed from the root- 

 stock at right angles or nearly so. The result of 

 this careful disposition of the roots is that each 

 is separated from the other, with its own special 

 covering of soU, and all crushing or overcrowding is 

 avoided. 



To 'escape the trouble of planting Apple or other 

 trees rooted at different levels, the lower layer of 

 such roots may be cut off where there are a suf- 

 ficiency at a higher level, and then the trees may be 

 planted in the usual way. 



Despatch. — This is half the secret of success in 

 planting. The old-fashioned plan of making all the 

 holes for Apple or other fruit-trees several months in 

 advance has never been bettered. It proved a great 

 saving of time at the planting season, as well as 

 thoroughly prepared the soil ; sun and shower mel- 

 lowing the earth into the best possible condition for 

 nourishing the newly-made roots. 



Not a moment should be lost from tho time the 

 Apple or other tree is out of the ground until it is 

 planted again ; and it is here that the great advan- 

 tage of raising one's own trees where practicable is 

 obtained. Having everything in readiness, the trees 

 maybe lifted under such favourahle circumstances and 

 re-planted so promptly as — ^to use the common phrase 

 of practical men — ^never to look behind them. In re- 

 ceiving trees from a distance the case is of necessity 

 somewhat different. So carefully, however, do most 

 nurserymen, florists, and tree-growers lift and pack 

 them, that they take comparatively little harm in tho 

 bundles. But it is when undone and dangled in the 



