2o6 Home Vegetable Gardening 



length. Properly grown stock should not be in any 

 such condition. 



Remember that a well planted tree will give more 

 fruit in the first ten years than three trees carelessly 

 put in. Get the tree so that it w^ill be one to three 

 inches deeper in the soil than when growing in the 

 nursery. Work the soil in firmly about the roots 

 with the fingers or a blunt wooden ''tamper" ; do 

 not be afraid to use your feet. When the roots are 

 well covered, firm the tree in by putting all your 

 weight upon the soil around it. See that it is 

 planted straight, and if the ''whip," or small trunk, 

 is not straight stake it, and tie it with rye straw, 

 rafiia or strips of old cloth — never string or wire. 

 If the soil is very dry, water the root copiously 

 while planting until the soil is about half filled in, 

 never on the surface, as that is likely to cause a 

 crust to form and keep out the air so necessary to 

 healthy growth. 



Prune back the "leader" of the tree — the top 

 above the first lateral branches, about one-half. 

 Peach trees should be cut back more severely. Fur- 

 ther information in regard to pruning, and the dif- 

 ferent needs of the various fruits in regard to this 

 important matter, will be given in the next chapter. 



SETTING 



Standard apple trees, fully grown, will require 



