SUGGESTED PRACriCUMS 299 



freely an hour or two before lifting. Roll each bundle separately in 

 paper in such a way as to need no tying. Place one-inch layer of 

 damp, not wet, moss on bottom of proper-sized basket. Stand bundles 

 upright and close together on moss. Pack moss between bundle and 

 sides of basket. If plants are short, cover with burlap sewed or tied 

 on ; if tall, draw tops together, cover around sides, leave open at top 

 in warm weather, but in cold cover all. In cold weather a closed box 

 is a better package. 



73. Packing plants for mail delivery. — Pack several kinds of plants 

 from three to four-inch pots to go by mail (see Exercise 71). Place a 

 package in each of, say, three or four sets of adverse conditions likely 

 to be encountered in an actual shipment — a hot, a cold, a dr>', a moist 

 room — during a week. Then unpack, note results and see how many 

 plants will grow when planted under favorable conditions. 



74. Pack bale of trees or shrubs for freight or express. — Select dor- 

 mant trees or shrubs of various sizes. Tie and label each variety sep- 

 arately. Dip roots of each bundle in thin mud. Lay large trees on 

 floor or ground first ; fit smaller ones in ; tie with binding twine ; on 

 Root spread burlap big enough to cover whole bundle ; put wet chaff, 

 sphagnum or sawdust three inches deep where roots are to be ; place 

 roots on this, draw up sides of burlap and fill in more packing where 

 needed to make three-inch packing all around roots : sew together or use 

 three-inch nails as pins : tie with rope or stout binder cord ; fasten on 

 two addressed tags in different parts of the bundle. 



75. Box packing for cold weather. — Tie dormant trees as in bale 

 packing. Treat active plants as in basket packing. Line a box with 

 two or three thicknesses of paper. Cover bottom with three inches of 

 moist chaff or sphagnum. Place large tree bundles on bottom, nail one- 

 inch boards through box sides to hold trees from shifting. Place 

 shrubs and fasten similarly. Cover with two or three inches of damp, 

 cut straw. Lay in the active plants previously wrapped and fasten so 

 they won't shift during shipment. Fill two inches of the top with 

 packing. Be sure to make box contents feel solid with packing before 

 nailing on cover. If packing is too wet, there is danger of heating. 

 It should be merely moist. 



76. Heeling-in. — In a trench one foot deep and wide and any de- 

 sired length, place fruit tree roots, tops pointing obliquely to south side. 

 Cover with earth from the other side of the trench and pack firmly. 

 Place other rows of trees, then shrubs and lastly berry plants — even 

 strawberries. Cover tops of trees and shrubs wholly with soil. Stake 

 position of rows. Leave no material that will serve for mouse nests. 

 In spring note results. 



