FRUIT GROWING FOR HOME USE IN THE GREAT PLAINS. 11 
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is a“eood practice to “‘puddle”’ the roots before planting. This con- 
sists in dipping them in rather thin mud, which gives the roots a 
moist covering of soil. This furnishes considerable protection if they 
are not exposed too long. 
Spring planting is advised, as the winter conditions would doubt- 
less be very hard on stock planted in the fall. 
In general, the advice about trimming off injured roots, cutting 
back the top, ete., usually given for planting trees and other plants 
in humid sections, applies in this region. Low-headed trees are 
undoubtedly to be desired; that is, trees the tops of which are formed 
not more than 15 inches to 2 feet from the ground. To produce such 
trees a more severe heading back when the trees are set out may be 
necessary than many persons with experience elsewhere are accus- 
tomed to give. It will not be difficult to develop trees with low 
heads, however, if one-year-old trees are planted. This is an addi- 
tional advantage in planting trees of this age. The heads of older 
trees are formed when received from the nursery and they may not 
meet the wishes of the pianter in this respect. 
In starting the head of a tree, four to six main branches should 
usually be allowed to remain. Or, if desired, a single “leader”? may 
be left in the center of the tree and the head formed by a considerable 
number of comparatively small branches radiating from it. 
Reference has already been made to digging the holes in which 
to set the trees. If they have been made large and deep, as previously 
mentioned, they may need to be partially filled before the trees are 
placed in them to avoid too deep planting. In filling in the soil about 
the roots, the usual precautions need to be observed in regard to 
packing the soil firmly. If it is not sufficiently moist to insure the 
prompt starting of the tree into growth, enough water should be 
poured into the hole after it has been partially filled with soil to 
thoroughly wet the portion in close proximity to the roots. The 
hole is then filled, though many leave the surface about the tree a 
little lower than the general level in order to retain in the little 
‘basin’? thus made the rain which might otherwise drain away. 
Such a practice is of particular value during heavy showers when 
there is considerable run-off, more water being retained about the 
tree than would be the case if the surface was perfectly level. 
While many trees are planted only two or three inches deeper than 
they were in the nursery, as in other regions, many advise setting 
them at least six inches deeper than they stood in the nursery. This 
places the roots where they are less influenced by surface conditions, 
The trees are more firmly fixed in the ground than if planted shallow 
and are therefore less affected by the winds. In other ways there 
appears to be good reason for this deep planting. 
[Cir. 51] 
