V.j THE AMERICAN GARDENER. 173 



be closely touched by the earth in every part. When 

 you have covered all the roots with the sifted earth, 

 and have seen that your tree stands just as high 

 with regard to the level of the ground as it did in 

 the place where it before stood, allowing about 3 

 ll inches for sinking, fill up the rest of the hole with 

 f the common earth of the plat, and when you have 

 about half filled it, tread the earth that you put in, 

 but not very hard. Put on the rest of the earth, 

 and leave the surface perfectly smooth. Do not iva- 

 ter by any means. Water, poured on, in this case, 

 sinks rapidly down, and makes cavities amongst the 

 roots. Lets in air. Mould and canker follow ; and 

 great injury is done. 



286. If the tree be planted in the fall, as soon as 

 the leaf begins to be yellow ; that is to say, in Oc- 

 tober early, it will have struck out new roots to the 

 length of some inches before the winter sets in. 

 And this is certainly the best time for doing the bu- 

 siness. But, mind, the roots should be out of ground 

 as short a time as possible ; and should by no means 



\ be permitted to get dry^ if you can avoid it ; for, 

 ; though some trees will live after having been a long 

 j while out of ground, the shorter the time out of 

 I ground the sooner the roots strike; and, if the roots 

 i should get dry before planting, they ought to be 



soaked in water, rain or pond, for half a day before 



the tree be planted. 



287. If the tree be for an orchard, it must be five 

 or six feet high, unless cattle are to be kept out for 

 two or three years. And, in this case, the head of 

 the tree must be pruned short, to prevent it from 

 swaying about from the force of the wind. Even 

 when pruned, it will be exposed to be loosened by 

 this cause, and must be kept steady by a stake ; 

 but, it must not be fastened to a stdke, until rain 



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