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THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



167. When the tree is received from the nursery 

 its roots are often crowded, interlaced, and girdle 

 one another. A judicious thinning will help to give a 

 better- balanced root system. The roots of this Baldwin 

 apple tree need thinning 



is in sod, it is best, if possible, to put it 

 into some vegetable-garden crop for one 

 or two seasons before it is planted. This 



168. The same tree as in Fig. 167, with the roots 

 thinned preparatory to planting. The stub-root or 

 Stringfellow system, is not usually to be recom- 

 mended : but it certainly does pay to thin the roots 

 when they crowd badly 



helps to bring it all into a uniform and 

 mellow condition. If planting is done in 

 the spring, manure the ground liberally the 

 fall previous, especiallv that part on which 



169. Planting a grape-vine. MaKe the hole deep 

 io accommodate the roots when they are extended 

 downward. Let the top of the original cutting appear 

 just above the ground. Spread out the roots naturally 

 and filter dirt over and between them with the fingers 



the small fruits are to be planted. Plow 

 and fit the soil as thoroughly as you would 

 for a vegetable garden. Plow the whole area. 

 It is rarely a good practice to set young 

 trees or other fruit plants in holes cut out of 

 the sod. If there is hard-pan within ten 

 inches of the surface, it will be beneficial to 

 break it up with a subsoil plow, in order that 

 the trees may become deep rooted; but this 

 is not absolutely necessary. Do not leave 

 a dead furrow where a row of trees is to go. 

 Prepare deeply and thoroughly, plowing 

 under a heavy coating of manure if the soil 

 is very light or very poor. Thorough prepa- 

 ration of the land saves much labor subse- 

 quently, and the fruits appreciate it. 



PRUNING BEFORE PLANTING 



Much depends upon the proper treatment 

 of trees at the time of planting. A large part 

 of the root system of the tree has been cut 

 off in digging. Cut off the bruised and 

 broken ends and thin out the crowding and 

 interlacing roots. The stub-root or String- 

 fellow system of root pruning, described in 

 Country Lije in America, is not usually 

 practicable except in some parts of the 

 South. However, a judicious thinning of 

 the roots of all fruit trees at the time of plant- 

 ing, particularly when they crowd and half- 

 girdle each other, will do them good. 



To meet the loss of roots, cut back the top 

 of the tree from one-quarter to one-half, 

 according to the extent of the root system 

 left. On two- or three-year-old trees remove 

 all branches except the three or four that you 

 have selected to form the scaffold or frame- 

 work of the tree. Shorten those that remain 

 about a third. Peaches, apricots and all 

 other one-year-old trees planted may be 

 trimmed to a whip. The only exception to 

 the general rule that the top of trees should 

 be cut back at the time of planting is when 

 they are planted in the fall. In this case they 

 are planted with all the branches on and are 

 not headed back until the following spring, 

 as there is thus less danger of winter injury. 



PLANTING THE TREES 



In planting the trees, bring them from the 

 nursery or cellar and heel them in on some 

 convenient place near the orchard site, 

 Heeling in is simply digging a trench deep 

 enough to hold the roots, putting the trees 

 in at a sharp slant, preferably with the 

 tops pointing to the north, and covering the 

 roots firmly with soil. As trees are needed 

 for planting take them from the bunch of 

 those heeled in and throw a wet burlap sack 

 over the roots while carrying them to be 

 planted. 



If the orchard area has been laid across 

 and staked, the next step is to plant the trees 

 just where the stakes have been set. Do 

 this with the aid of a planting board. This 

 board may be four feet long, three inches 

 wide and half an inch thick. Make a 

 square notch at each end one and one-half 

 inches wide, and another of the same size 

 exactly in the middle of the board. The 

 stakes that have been placed to mark the 

 position of the tree should be small enough 

 to fit into these notches. Place the middle 



170. Plant deeply and firmly. Bring the soil in 

 close contact with the roots by foot pressure. Spring 

 lightly on the balls of the feet. The lighter the soil 

 the firmer should the ground be compacted. On 

 heavy clay soils omit this altogether 



notch against the stake. Drive a peg into 

 the notch at each end, pull up the middle 

 stake, dig the hole and then replace the 

 board against the two outside pegs. The 

 tree may then be set against the middle 

 notch, and will be exactly where the stake 

 was, to that no sighting will be necessary. 

 After the tree has been set, pull up the two 

 outside pegs and use them in planting the 

 next tree. 



Dig the hole large enough to accommodate 

 all the roots without bending them, and 

 deep enough so that it may be set a little 

 deeper than it was in the nursery. The 

 harder the digging, the bigger should be the 

 hole. The labor of digging may be greatly 

 lessened by plowing out a deep furrow along 

 a line where a row of trees is to be set. Put 

 the rich surface soil on one side of the hole 

 and the subsoil on the other. Throw some 

 good, black soil in the bottom of the 

 hole, set in the tree and spread the roots 

 naturally. 



Shake the rich surface soil down among 

 the roots, being careful that there are no air 

 spaces left around them, especially under- 

 neath the fork of the roots. Use the fingers 

 for poking dirt between the roots; joggle the 

 tree up and down slightly to settle the dirt. 

 Fill the hole about half full, using the 



171. The old saying is 

 " There are three essen- 

 tial conditions to the 

 successful cultivation of 

 strawberries : first, plenty 

 of water; second, plenty 

 of water ; third, plenty of 

 water. The wonderful 

 root system shows why 



172. The plant in Fig. 

 171 prepared for planting. 

 Cut or twist off most of 

 the young leaves, which 

 evaporate more water 

 than old leaves. Reduce 

 the root system slightly 

 to maKe a proper balance 

 with the top 



