THE HANDLING OF THE PLANTS 129 
Cutting-back ; filling. 
In the planting of any tree or bush, the roots should be cut 
back beyond all breaks and serious bruises, and fine earth should 
be thoroughly filled in and firmed about them, as in Fig. 142. 
No implement is so good as the fingers for working the soil about 
“ "a, ¢ 
142. Proper planting of a tree. 143. Careless planting of a tree, 
the roots. If the tree has many roots, work it up and down 
slightly several times during the filling of the hole, to settle the 
earth in place. When the earth is thrown in carelessly, the 
roots are jammed together, and often an empty place is left 
beneath the crown, as in Fig. 143, which causes the roots to dry 
out. 
The marks on the tops of these trees in Figs.142 and 143 show 
where the branches may be cut. See also Fig. 152. Figures 144 
K 
