60 



Campbell's 1902 Soil Culture Manual. 



RAISING TREES. 



There is no question that is worthy of more consideration so far as 

 the comfort and happiness of a family is concerned which resides on the 

 farm than that of growing trees. There is nothing more dehghtful after a 

 noon day meal in mid-summer than to quietly recline in a hammock in the 

 shade of a large elm, but this to the average resident of the semi-arid belt 

 for several years has seemed an utter impossibility. There is nothing more 

 easy, or more simple. The experience at the Pomeroy Model Farm during 

 the past two years quite clearly demonstrates this fact. The piece of land 

 selected for the buildings around which a large number of shade and orna- 

 mental trees were set, and for the orchard is on a high divide overlooking 

 the town with quite a considerable south slope. The south slojje is much 

 more unfavorable than the north, as it gets the rays of the sun more directly 

 and catches the force of the south winds during the extreme heated por- 

 tion of the season; but this south slope was purposely selected that visi- 

 itors might see that what could be done under such conditions might be 

 done at any point. For the most successful growing of trees or orchard a 

 northeast slope should be selected as most favorable. The ground for our 

 trees was first double-diced early in March, 1900, plowed in April about 8 

 inches deep, the plow followed by the sub-surface packer, and the packer 

 with the Acme harrow. The ground was then laid out by using the check 

 chain of a corn planter. A small stake 6 inches long was set for each tree 

 or shrub, and 964 of these stakes were thus set. When the trees were re- 

 ceived from the nursery a deep trench was dug and all trees heeled in with 

 tops pointing north. Care was taken to keep the roots from the air, and 

 what is most important, to keep them moist. When taken from the boxes 

 they were quickly covered with dirt and water turned on. A kerosene bar- 

 rel was sawed in two parts, each half barrel was filled about two-thirds 

 full of water, and sufficient dirt was added to form a thick solution of mud. 

 Then the trees were taken from the trench, when the workmen were ready 

 to engage in the actual work of setting the trees, and they were put into 

 this solution one by one, and enough mud adhered to the roots to keep 

 them protected from the air and sun while being handled during the pro- 

 cess of setting. 



Two boards 4 feet long by 6 inches wide were provided with a notch 

 in the centgr and a notch at each end, both boards being cut exactly alike. 

 The man who dug the holes used one of the boards, and placing the center 

 notch on the stake pulled the stake and set it m one of the end notches and 

 added another stake in the other end notch. He then removed the board 

 and dug the hole. In digging the hole the tree was examined to note the 



