252 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAEDENIXa. 



Method of Planting. — This resolves itself 

 into a matter of depth, diameter, disposition, des- 

 patch, and the solidarity of the roots. The proper 

 depth to plant is a vexed question, on which more 

 +rees have been wrecked than perhaps any other. 

 Plant too deeply, growth is checked; plant too 

 fleetly, the tree is crippled, if not killed. The 

 tree- stem affords the only safe guide as to depth. 

 The original ground-line is clearly marked upon 

 it, and that line ought to he followed to a hair's 

 breadth. It is nature's sure and certain index 

 as to depth. All above it is stem fitted for the air ;. 

 all below it is imder-ground stem or root ; and there 

 is nothing that trees and woody shrubs cling to 

 with more tenacity than this natural di%iding-line 

 between earth and air. 



But as the roots seldom proceed from this line, 

 the average depth of root-covering may be accepted 

 as SIX inches from the surface. But the roots often 

 proceed from the root-stock at lower planes, and 

 hence the holes for planting Apples may generally 

 be dug out to a depth of a foot or eighteen inches. 

 For older and larger trees they may have to be a 

 yard in depth. But for young trees, say a year or 

 at most two from the graft, a foot or eighteen 

 inches will suffice. 



The diameter of the hole may vary from a yard to 

 six feet, according to the size of the trees and the 

 number of their roots. Neither is it needful to make 

 the hole cii'cular ; a square hole will do just as well 

 or better. The form is of little matter; that it 

 should be wider than the largest root is of vital 

 importance, so as to allow of each being spread out 

 to its utmost length, while still leaving a clear 

 space of several inches between it and the unmoved 

 earth at the sides of the hole. 



The base of the hole should be made firm and 

 slightly elevated in the centre, and over this base an 

 inch or so of compost should be sprinkled, unless 

 indeed the whole of the soil has been worked or 

 amehorated into a root-tempting medium by the pro- 

 cess already recommended. 



The next step in planting is the disposition of the 

 roots. If the tree is young, and the roots almost 

 wholly in one horizontal plane, this is very simple. 

 A stout stake should be placed in the centre of the 

 hole, to which loosely tie the tree, to keep it upright. 

 This simple process saves the necessity for another 

 hand in planting. Place the tree in the hole, spread 

 out the roots regularly , and with a sharp knife cut 

 off any that are wounded or bruised, or any excess of 

 roots. Then sprinkle over them a little fine com- 

 post, or the choicest soil that has been removed, 

 scattering the earth on to the roots from the bole 

 outwards all round until the whole of the roots are 

 covered. 



AH clods or lumps should be broken with the 

 spade before placing the earth over the roots, as the 

 attempt to break them afterwards would probably 

 break or bruise the roots as well. If aU the earth is 

 returned the root - space will be a little higher than 

 the surrounding sm-face. But this will approximate 

 to the general level as time, the great consolidator, 

 does its work. The surface of the soil is best left 

 rather loose, as this acts as a barrier to the escape of 

 heat and insures the conservation of vapour, loose 

 soil in fact acting in a similar manner, though not 

 to the same extent, as a surface mulch of cocoa-fibre 

 refuse, moss, or straw litter. 



Should any of the trees have roots at different 

 levels on the root- stock, the operation of planting- 

 becomes more complicated, and should proceed 

 tentatively. The hole must be dug sufficiently deep 

 for the lower roots, and as soon as these are dis- 

 played carefully and covered, another layer will be 

 displayed, and so on, till the process is completed. 

 In practice, however, the process is at times more 

 difficult ; the roots proceed from the root-stock most 

 irregularly, one here and another there, and it is 

 important that each should proceed from the root- 

 stock at right angles or nearly so. The result of 

 this careful disposition of the roots is that each 

 is separated from the other, with its own special 

 covering of soil, and all crushing or overcrowding is 

 avoided. 



To escape the trouble of planting Apple or other 

 trees rooted at different levels, the lower layer of 

 such roots may be cut oft' where there are a suf- 

 ficiency at a higher level, and then the trees may be 

 planted in the usual way. 



Despatch.. — This is half the secret of success in 

 planting. The old-fashioned plan of making aU the 

 holes for Apple or other fruit-trees several months in 

 advance has never been bettered. It proved a great 

 sa^-ing of time at the planting season, as weU as 

 thoroughly prepared the soil ; sun and shower mel- 

 loTN-ing the earth into the best possible condition for 

 nourishing the newly -made roots. 



Not a moment should be lost from the time the 

 Apple or other tree is out of the groimd until it is 

 planted again ; and it is here that the great advan- 

 tage of raising one's own trees where practicable is 

 obtained. Having everything in readiness, the trees 

 maybe lifted under such favourable circumstances and 

 re-planted so promptly as — to use the common phrase 

 of practical men — never to look behind them. In re- 

 cei-vdng trees from a distance the case is of necessity 

 somewhat different. So carefully, however, do most 

 nurserymen, florists, and tree-growers lift and pack 

 them, that they take comparatively little harm in the 

 bundles. But it is when undone and dangled in the 



