THE HANDLING OF THE PLANTS 



135 



of the hole so that the hind wheels can be backed over it. The 

 tree is then lowered to the proper depth, and made plumb by 

 the guy-ropes, and good, mellow soil is thrown in and packed 

 well into all the cavities under the roots. When the hole is 

 half filled, several barrels of water should be poured in; this 

 will wash the soil into the cavities under the center of the tree 

 much better. When the water has settled away, fill in and 

 pack the soil till the hole is little more than full. Leave a 

 depression, so that all the rain that may fall will be retained. 

 The tree should now be judiciously trimmed and the machine 

 removed. Five men can take up, move, and plant a tree in a 

 day, if the distance is short and the digging not too hard. The 

 tree should be properly wired to stakes to prevent the wind 

 from blowing it over. The front part of the machine is a part 

 of our platform spring market-wagon, while the hind wheels are 

 from a wood-axle wagon. A tree ten inches in diameter, with 

 some dirt adhering to its roots, will weigh a ton or more." 



Winter protection of plants. 



If the ground is not ready for planting in the fall, or if it is 

 desired for any reason to delay until spring, the trees or bushes 

 may be heeled-in, as illus- 

 trated in Fig. 151. The roots 

 are laid in a furrow or trench, 

 and are covered with well- 

 firmed earth. Straw or 

 manure may be thrown over 

 the earth still further to pro- 

 tect the roots, but if it is 

 thrown over the tops, mice 

 may be attracted by it and the trees be girdled. Tender trees 

 or bushes may be lightly covered to the tips with earth. Plants 

 should be heeled-in only in loose, warm, loamy or sandy ground 

 and in a well-drained place. 



151. Trees heeled-in for winter. 



