42 MAKING HORTICULTURE PAY 



live, and so it does not make much difference. They 

 scatter the trees along the line, with the holes dug 

 a day or so before planting, and then, with the roots 

 injured by drying, they plant. In many cases they 

 slash the tops off. The tree must have a certain 

 amount of life in it to mature the root system, but 

 they have no knowledge of this and lose severely 

 thereby. They cut the roots off too close and 

 plant the trees in the holes in bad weather, and 

 leave them to live or die, and then blame the nur- 

 seryman if they die. 



" The right way is to get trees as early as pos- 

 sible, and in good condition, and if not ready to 

 plant, heel them in on the north side of the barn ; 

 then, if the roots are injured, they will be par- 

 tially repaired in time for planting. I have set 

 a great many thousand trees having long fibrous 

 roots, and have lost very few of them. The cherry 

 and the Japanese plum must be planted early. 

 They start their fibers at the first touch of warm 

 weather, and if they are moved very much after 

 the fibers are started it is almost sure loss of the 

 tree. 



"It would be a good practice to prune the roots 

 before heeling in. If the roots are pruned early, 

 they have a better chance to get started before the 

 tree is planted, and it will be seen that the large 

 roots start sooner than the smaller ones. There 

 are many fibers from the root, if the root is in good 

 condition, and they should be kept in good condi- 

 tion. 



" I have practiced carrying tubs or tanks of water 

 on a stone boat, with 50 or 100 trees immersed in 

 water. Then I am careful not to dig the hole until 

 I am ready to plant in it, or at least not long before. 

 Then the earth should be carefully filled in around 



