FRUIT CULTURE IN WISCONSIN. 
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surface as possible, for protection from the cold. (See page 
—.) Cut smoothly all bruised or broken roots—remove all 
that may cross or crowd one another—place the tree in the hole 
previously prepared, -which must now be filled up with surface 
dirt so as to admit the tree, as nearly as possible, to the depth 
it previously had in the nursery. Place the roots in their nat¬ 
ural position, and as the hole is being filled, see well to the 
fibres ; fill every crevice with soil, raising the roots as you pro¬ 
ceed, to a point at right angles with their base, thus proceed¬ 
ing till the hole is filled ; hen gently tread the surface, after¬ 
wards refilling, and leaving the surface, finally, loose and mel¬ 
low to freely receive the moisture of dews, rains, &c. In this 
manner the whole number are to be planted. The next step is 
to review them, with knife in hand, and a “ deal of courage.” 
Don’t be afraid of hurting them, or wounding any one’s feelings, 
but “ face about ” to the tree from every side; thin the top 
well; cut out every limb that crosses or rubs its neighbor.— 
Again review the tree and give it another trimming ; then as 
a finality, cut back one-third of thelast year’s growth of 
every limb—reference being had to the future pyramidal shape 
of the tree—leaving, as a rule, a bud upon the upper surface of 
the limb, placing the knife opposite its lower portion, and cut¬ 
ting smoothly and slopingly to the bud’s upper point. 
The reasons for so severe pruning the first season are, that it 
is hardly possible to expect a tree to retain near all its roots in 
the removing process, and a reduction in number cannot sup¬ 
port the whole original top in a healthy, thriving condition, and 
therefore, the demand upon the roots must be diminished pro¬ 
portionately, by thinning, or cutting back, or both. Better to 
have less top in the spring at planting and a fourfold season’s 
growth, than a dead, or sickly, half-starved tree in the fall. 
If the orchard is planted upon the prairie, or where it will 
have no protection from the winds, it will be found very neces¬ 
sary that the trees be well staked; which should be done at the 
time of planting them; the stake being driven perpendicularly 
before the hole is wholly filled, to avoid mutilating any roots. 
