YOUR SUCCESS WITH NURSERY STOCK DEPENDS ON PROPER PLANTING 



41 



Successful Planting and Care 



Be sure to remove label wire before tree begins 

 to grow or it will be fatally injured through 

 strangulation. 



CAKE OF STOCK 



The bundles should be opened immediately, the roots 

 dipped in water, then heeled in moist ground, so that 

 the mellow earth will come in contact with the roots 

 and thoroughly protect them from the air, having the 

 earth tramped solid about them. 



When ready to plant take up only a few at a time, 

 puddle the roots, and do not allow them to lie exposed 

 to the sun or air. 



The ground should be carefully prepared by deep 

 plowing and firming down with a disc and harrow. 



PLANTING 



The holes for planting must be large enough to re- 

 ceive the roots freely, without cramping or bending 

 them from their natural position. All broken or muti- 

 lated portions of the roots must be cut off so as to 

 leave the ends smooth and sound. All trees should be 

 planted two or three inches deeper than they stood in 

 the nursery row ; pack the soil very firmly about the 

 roots by tramping: with the feet or post tamper, being- 

 careful not to bark or break the roots. Leave three 

 inches of the surface soil loose to serve as a mulch. 

 If the ground is very dry apply one or two pails of 

 water before this soil mulch is in place, and after the 

 water has soaked away it can then be placed over the 

 moist soil. Never put manure so as to come in contact 

 with the roots of any plant or tree. 



Almost Sure to Live 



Almost Sure to Die 



Asparagus — Prepare ground by deep plowing or spad- 

 ing. To have it ready early it should be planted on 

 light soil. The sprouts are not usually cut for the 

 market until the second year after planting, except to 

 mow down the canes in the fall or spring. Plant from 

 four to five inches deep, covering with only three inches 

 of soil at first, and cover the remainder as the plants 

 grow. The rows should be five feet apart, with the 

 plants set two feet apart in the row. Broadcast about 

 five bushels of salt and three hundred pounds of Ni- 

 trate of Soda to the acre in March and give it a good 

 top dressing of stable manure in November. 



Ornamentals — Dig holes large enough to accomodate 

 all roots without bending or cramping. Fill the hole 

 with good top dirt and firm it hard. When the hole is 

 three-fourths full allow a bucket or more of water to 

 seep away around the roots, after which the hole may be 

 entirely filled. It is well to mulch the tree immediately 

 to prevent drying* out. Prune all the limbs back to five 

 or seven g-ood buds, even though the appearance of the 

 tree is impaired by such treatment. Water trees during 

 the summer months and give them plenty of attention 

 until they have become well established. Large sizes of 

 shade trees can often be staked to advantage until their 

 roots have obtained good anchorage in the soil. 



If planted in beds or groups the ground should be 

 spaded deeply and well worked. If shrubs are set as 



individual specimens they should be planted the same 

 as trees. 



Set shrubs at the same depth as they stood in the 

 nursery row, or with their crowns at about the surface 

 of the ground. Water the plants well during the hot; 

 dry weather and keep the ground well stirred around 

 them. Most shrubs require judicious pruning at plant- 

 ing time, and subsequently, when shrubs are planted, 

 it is advisable to cut them back from one-half to two- 

 thirds, with but few exceptions. 



How to Plant Evergreens 



1) Dig hole a foot larger and deeper than ball of earth 

 Provide good, loamy top soil to fill around ball. 



©SET TREE IN HOLE 

 TRIFLE LOWER THAN 

 IT STOOD IN NURSERY 



/FILL 

 TOPSOILUPAROUN! 

 BALL. PACK FIRMLY;* 

 WITH FEET OR SEJ# . 

 TLE BY FILLING HOLE 

 WITH WATER 



$///'////¥' 



3A.00SEN BURLAP 

 AT TOP OF BALL AND 

 ROLL BACK OR CUT 



S^FILL HOLE WITH SOIL. PACK FIRMLY 

 AND LEAVE TOP OF GROUND COVERED WITH LOOSE 

 EARTH, OR BETTER MULCH WITH STRAWY WELL ROT- 

 TED MANURE 



PRUNING 



Apple and Pear — Select from three to five of the 

 branches to form the permanent head of the tree. These 

 branches should be well distributed around the trunk, 

 and at a safe distance apart up and down the trunk. 

 If two branches come out, a split may occur at this weak 

 point in later life when the tree is full of fruit. Shorten 

 these selected branches to about five buds, cutting the 

 branches just above a bud that points outward. Re- 

 move all the other branches close to the trunk, leaving 

 no stub longer than one-eighth to one-quarter inch. 

 Also shorten back two-thirds the central leader of the 

 tree, if one exists, else the tree assumes a too upright 

 growth for best results in later life. 



Cherry — Five or six good limbs, well distributed 

 around the trunk, will be sufficient to form a well bal- 

 anced top. The limbs left after pruning should not be 

 cut back so severely as recommended for some other 

 classes. 



Plum — Cut back all branches to about two or three 

 buds. , After the tree has grown for a year, remove all 

 but four or five branches, but do not cut them back. 

 These buds will form the permanent framework for the 

 top and subsequent growth may be pruned to meet the 

 requirements or taste of the planter. 



Peach — These should be planted immediately on de- 

 livery; or, if not prepared to do so, the roots should be 

 buried in the ground. They will not stand exposure 

 to the sun or air, and many are lost simply for the 

 want of care. As soon as planted, cut back all side 

 branches to within two or three inches of the main 

 stem. Make this the invariable practice, and never de- 

 viate from it if you wish to save your trees. The 

 growth will be much more rapid and vigorous in con- 

 sequence of this pruning, and by strictly adhering to it, 

 and by immediate planting or covering the roots in 

 the soil, very few, if any, trees will be lost. Peaches 

 like all other stock we deliver, will be in fine condition, 

 having been carefully handled and kept from exposure 

 by us. If you do not follow our directions and meet 

 with loss, the fault will be entirely with you. 



Grapes — These should be planted ten to twelve inches 

 deep in holes large enough to admit roots without curl- 

 ing them, pressing soil solid about roots. Cut vines 

 back to within three or four buds of the roots. Keep 

 the ground clean by cultivating; if impossible to culti- 

 vate, mulch. Prune in February or early March, be- 

 fore there are any signs of new growth — hence the im- 

 portance of annual and intelligent pruning. 



