2 
Sherman Nursery Company, Charles City, Iowa 
exposures are not so subject as others to the treezinK and thawing of ground in early 
spring, ground thaws a little slower, and as a consequence, trees do not start quite 
so early. 
2d. The Ppeparation of the Soil.— For fruit trees the soil should be f?»7/, 
either naturally or made so by thorough drainage, as they will not live or thrive on a 
soil constantly saturated with stagnant moisture. It should also be well prepared. 
On new, fresh lands, manuring will be unnecessary; but on lands e.xhausted by 
cropping, fertilizers must be applied, either by turning in heavy crops of clover, or 
well-decomposed manure or compost. To ensure a good growth of fruit trees, land 
should be in as good condition as for a crop of corn or potatoes. 
3d. The PPeparation of the Trees.— There are more fatal en ■ors committed 
in regard to this important operation than in any other. As a general thing, trees 
are planted in the ground precisely as they are sent from the nursery. In removing 
a tree, no matter how carefully it may be done, portions of the roots are broken and 
destroyed, and consequently the balance that existed in the structure of the tree is 
deranged. This must be restored by a proper pruning, adapted to the size, form and 
condition of the tree. 
4th. Planting:. — Dig holes in the first place large enough to permit the roots of 
the tree to spread out in their natural position, thus having the tree pruned as before 
directed ; let one person hold the tree, placing the heavier portion of the top to the 
southwest, and with the trunk slanting a little in that direction, while the other 
shovels in fine dirt about the roots, taking pains to fill all interstices, and bringing 
every root in contact withthesoil. When the hole is nearly filled, if the ground is dry, 
it is a good plan to apply a pail of water to moisten the ground and wash the dirt in 
about the roots. This is unnecessary, however, if the ground is fairly moist. In this 
latitude, and especially north and west of here in dry lands, it is good practice to 
plant fruit trees about 6 inches deeper in the ground than they stood in the nursery 
row, but where land is inclined to be wet, they should be planted about the same 
depth as they stood in nursery. In dry, gravelly ground, the hole should be dug 
about twice the usual size and dei)th, and filled with rich, loamy soil. 
5th. If trees are large and planted in exposed locations, they should be staked, 
and, if this is found necessary, the trunk should be wrapped with something to keep 
the stake from chafing the tree. 
6th. Cultivation and Mulching.— When trees are planted, keep the orchard 
well cultivated up to about July 1 to 10, and for this purpose there is no better 
practice than to grow a crop of corn in the orchard, leaving the stalks to stand for win- 
ter protection ; but where this is not practicable, cultivate the land to above date and 
then sow to some cover crop. Do not seed down an orchard so long as it can be 
avoided, but keep it cultivated as above indicated, a d keep the soil well fertilized ; 
but when the time comes that the orchard must be seeded down, sow to red clover 
and mulch the trees heavily so that grass will not grow within 6 or 8 feet of 
thera. It is also good practice to spade up this mulched space about the tree 
each spring. 
7th. Treatment of Trees Frozen In the Packages or Received During 
Freezing Weather. — Place the package in some cool place, a damp, cool cellar 
preferred, where the temperature is Just a little above freezing, and allow it to 
remain there for several days until all frost is removed before opening the package. 
If stock is properly packed and handled as above directed, it will not be injured in 
the least by freezing. 
8th. Directions for Wintering.— When trees are procured in the fall, select 
a dry place where water will be well drained off during the winter months; then dig 
a trench a little longer than the trees to be heeled-in, with the lower end about 2 
feet deep. Dig the trench broad enough to contain the trees when spread in a single 
layer; then remove all packing material from about the trees and spread them out 
in the trench. When this is done, sift in fine dirt until all the open spaces are filled 
among the trees and roots and they are covered several inches deep, then tramp 
firmly and fill up the trench, mounding up the dirt so that the tops will be covered at 
least 4 inches deep and the roots about 2 feet. Care should be taken to remove all 
material from the trench and its vicinity which might serve as nests for mice. 
Remarks. — We have not aimed in the above to give full directions for handling 
trees, but only a few of the main outlines. The above directions will also apply to 
the handling of pear, apricot, peach, nectarine, quince, plum, cherry, grape-vines, cur- 
rant, gooseberry, mulberry, high-bush eranljerry, Juneberry, weeping trees, shade 
and ornamental trees, shrubs, roses and vines. 
