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in the soil around the roots slowly, having some one 

 straighten out the little rootlets, and pack the dirt firmly 

 around them. Be sure that no air spaces are left among 

 the mass of roots — that is, each and every root throughout 

 its whole length should touch the soil at every point. All 

 injured roots should be removed with a sharp knife or 

 saw before the tree is set, for injured roots are often the 

 starting points and causes of decay. 



LATER CULTIVATION. 



After the trees are in their places the soil for a space 

 of five or six feet on either side of the rows should be 

 carefully pulverized the first year. The remaining space 

 between the rows may be used as a place in which to 

 grow annual or yearly crops. For such a crop it is best 

 to select a plant requiring much cultivation, such as corn, 

 potatoes, etc. 



Each year, for seven or eight years, the space culti- 

 vated on either side of the rows must be widened as the 

 feeding rootlets of the growing trees reach out farther 

 and farther. At this age the trees will probably begin 

 to bear their first crops of fruit and then no other crops 

 must be grown on the soil and the ground must be most 

 carefully cultivated. You see if other crops are taken 

 from the orchard lands the trees have been robbed of all 

 the food and moisture used by this annual crop. 



The cultivation giving best results starts as early in 

 the spring as the soil will allow and is kept up until the 

 trees have about matured their growth for the year. The 

 plow is the cheapest and most satisfactory pulverizer and 

 is the tool which should be used for the first breaking of 

 the soil each spring. This compels the roots to go deeper 

 into the soil and they will thus escape injury from the 

 plow. 



