Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands. 1 27 



the wood. When the tree starts to grow in the 

 spring this bark cannot expand so must burst 

 This crack not only allows the water to enter 

 but makes an ideal place for the work of 

 worms, — borers, — so it often happens that we 

 find trees, before they arrive at the age of 

 profitable bearing, ready to break with* the 

 weight of their foliage, especially if a wind 

 storm should strike the orchard. Even should 

 the tree be strong enough to hold up its load we 

 have no right to expect as good fruit from this 

 diseased tree with about one-half of its original 

 bark surface, as from the one with healthy bark, 

 for the conveyance of the plant food from the 

 root to the foliage. 



We cannot be too careful in setting our trees 

 so that this trouble may be avoided. 



Longest Root as Anchor.— The more 



equally the root system is distributed around 

 the tree the better we should like it. But if 

 there should be one side with longer roots than 

 the other, we should prefer placing the tree in 

 such a position that the longest roots will be 

 toward the prevailing winds. Remembering 

 that they should anchor rather than brace the 

 tree. We see this plainly illustrated in the 

 forest trees. Often when passing through the 

 woods we find trees that have grown against a 



