80 Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands, 



The matter of drainage has been spoken of, 

 but we wish to call attention to its importance 

 again. After the holes are dug in the fall or 

 early winter, so that we may have the benefit 

 of the action of the frost which has already 

 been described, they should be visited occa- 

 sionally during the winter. If the water is 

 found to be standing in any of them, drainage 

 should be provided; if by no other means than 

 by sinking another hole on the lower side and 

 deeper than the one intended for the tree, and 

 the water drained into it. This will prove all 

 the more effective if the hole is filled with 

 stones, stumps, or rubbish of some kind before 

 it is covered over or filled with dirt. This in- 

 sures its remaining open until the trees become 

 established, after which the tree roots tend to 

 act as conductors, which prevent the collecting 

 of water about the bodies of the trees. 



Much valuable time may be saved in the rush 

 of spring by this winter work. Besides we are 

 able to plant much earlier where the holes are 

 ready, and the dirt — if it is piled where it will 

 drain properly — ^will be in condition to work 

 several days before that of the level surface. It 

 is even more important to have the ground in 

 good condition for tree planting than for or- 

 dinary farm crops. A thorough preparation of 



