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in containers or with balls of earth wrapped in burlap, should be carefully 
tended and not allowed to dry out. 
Before placing plant in ground, work soil deeply and pulverize as fine 
as possible. Add humus and fertilizer, if needed, at this time, being careful 
to mix thoroughly with soil. Ascertain requirements of plant and use either 
well rotted manure, peat moss or leaf mold and sharp sand if necessary. Hole 
should be at least three times the size of the container for small plants and 
twice the size of the ball of earth around the roots of larger plants. Be sure 
to loosen soil thoroughly at bottom of hole and then pack with foot so plant 
will not settle after being placed at proper depth. Do not use fertilizer next 
to the roots of the plants—mix thoroughly with soil tirst. 
Place balled plants in hole without removing burlap—after planting, 
loosen top cord around neck of plant. Plants in tins or pots must be carefully 
removed from the containers without disturbing the ball of earth around the 
roots. By placing the hand over the top of a pot with neck of plant between 
fingers and then turning pot over and tapping it on edge of bench or wall, 
the plant will come out very easily. Tin-snips should be used on gallon and 
five gallon containers. Plants in larger containers should be placed in hole 
before container is removed. After planting, leave basin around plant and 
fill with water, so as to thoroughly soak soil. 
IRRIGATION 
The matter of artificial irrigation during our long dry period is a most 
important one; there are many fine plants which cannot be allowed to suffer 
from lack of water during the summer. The practice of turning on the sprink- 
ler periodically by no means solves the problem; continual light surface irri- 
gation which does not penetrate the soil deeply, actually injures trees, vines, 
and shrubs more than it helps them. The only effect, and it is a bad one, 
being to draw the feeding roots to the surface where they are killed by alter- 
nate wetting and drying out. When plants such as these are watered, they 
should be thoroughly soaked, and then not watered again until they actually 
need it, as soil which is already wet should not, under any circumstances, 
have more water put into it. 
This periodic watering has nothing whatever to do with hosing off the 
foliage of the plants by way of refreshing them. In many cases, they are 
much benefited by frequent syringing of the foliage in hot weather, particu- 
larly those which enjoy a cool moist atmosphere. It goes without saying that 
this matter of irrigation, the amount of water the plant should have, and how 
often, is predicated largely on two factors—the climatic conditions, and the 
condition of the soil and its porosity. Fine plants cannot be grown finely 
when the soil is badly drained; there is no single thing which is as important 
as drainage. Heavy soils can be made lighter, light soils can be brought up 
and enriched, but it is hopeless to expect good results when drainage is poor. 
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