November 2, 1908 
The Orchard. 
Hints on Planting Fruit 
Trees. 
By C. T. Cole. Inspecto, Vegetation 
Diseases Act, in the * Journal of Agri- 
cultnre.’ ; 
There are four things essential to the 
welfare of newly planted trees, viz., 
Trenching, Draining, Planting, and 
Mulching, Most people think if they 
procure » young fruit tree or vine from 
a nursery, dig a hole in their garden and 
put it in, that it will be suro to grow and 
bear fruit. They are, however, often 
disappointed and nurserymen get the 
blame for selling them inferior trees or 
plants. If a little thought were exercised 
in the preparation of the ground and 
other matters, the results would be more 
satisfactory to all concerned. Beginners 
and others will find the following short 
instruotions helpful. 
Trenching.—Trench the ground from 
15 to 20 inches deep if the soil be rich, 
such as is found onthe banks of rivers 
and crecks. Should it be poor and sandy 
2 feet will not be too much ;' but if the 
soil be good, although not so rich as that 
found by the sides of ‘rivers and creeks 
20 inches will be found quite deep 
enough. Many think it necessary to turn 
the subsoil on the surface; but my ex- 
perience in many places makes me favor 
retaining the:surface soil in its natural 
place, When good drainage is provided, 
6 inches may be added to the depths 
mentioned, but in no case drench deep 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
where the water cannot readily be got 
away. Ihave seen a piece of ground 
trenched where aa clayey subsoil was 
thrown on the surface; but trees were 
duly planted, but the first few heavy 
rains ran the surface together like 
cement, and it took years of working and 
manuring to bring it into a nice open 
soil again. During this time the original 
surface soil was below, entirely out of 
the influence of the atmosphere, and 
when turned up for a new plantation was 
quite sodden, and sour; the roots had 
not penetrated it, nor never would 
although it was by far the better’ soil. 
The ground had not been drained by 
either of the methods mentioned further 
on; otherwise the result would have been 
much more satisfactory. Even then it 
was doubtful whether it would not have 
been better if the subsoil had been left 
where nature had placed it. 
In performing the work, supposing the 
depth of the trenching to be 15 inches, 
the soil should be removed from the first 
trench to the depth of 10 inches, and the 
remaining 8 inches of subsoil turned up 
in the bottom of the trench, and there 
allowed to remain as turned up, without 
being finely broken. The next trench 
should be opened, filling up the one 
previously made; dig up the subsoil as 
before, and so on, every successive trench. 
If 20 inches is the desired depth, dig the 
first trench out 12 inches deep, and break 
up the remaining 8 inches of subsoil as 
mentioned for the 15 inches. When 24 
inches is the depth desired, the first 
trench should be dug out 14 inches deep, 
breaking up the remaining 10 inches as 
before 
If this mode of preparing the soil is 
adopted, the trees or vines cannot fail.to 
make good headway. It will be seen 
from the foregoing that, though the sur- 
face soil has been moved to a consider- 
able depth, it is still retained near the 
surface where the trees can get the 
benefit of it, whilst the lowest subsoil 
is allowed to remain below. 
When the-soil is not very: good, or am 
old plantation is being done up for a 
second planting, a moderate application 
17 
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of manure dug into the bottom of the 
trench will prove of great advantage. 
The surface can be manured at conyen- 
ience, after the trees are planted; this is 
necessary when the soil is naturally 
poor. 
The foregoing remarks, of course, do 
not apply in all cases. There are dis- 
tricts where a layer of gravel is found 
under the surface, cemented together 
like stone. Where such is the case, it 
becomes necessary to bring it to the 
surface where it can be managed or re- 
moved away altogether. Again, some of 
the mellow chocolate soils are natually 
well drained, and almost as loose two 
feet below as on the surface, Where 
these exist, the soil may be turned about 
anyhow ; but, generally speaking, and 
under most circumstances, | believe the 
above system, or something approaching 
it, will be found satisfactory. 
Draining. —Draining is of the utmost 
importance to insure success in planta- 
tions of fruit trees and vines, especially 
those of fruit trees. It can be done by 
laying drain pipes at equal distances 
through the soil. Tnis is the most 
approved method. and where practicable 
and well ; performed, is productive of. 
great results. Surface draining can also 
be carried out, The latter is done by: 
throwing the ground up into beds from 
-1 to 15 feet wide for one row of trees, 
and forming narrow deep walks or drains 
between every bed, to carry off the 
surface water and to drain the beds. 
If possible, the bottom of these drains or 
walks should be as deep as the trenching 
of the beds, in order to carry off the 
whole of the surplus water out of the 
water out of the trenched ground. 
In moderately ary soils, beds may be- 
formed wide enough to hold a dousle row 
of trees, This mode of draining can be 
carried out with very satisfactory results 8 
& greater surface is thus exposed to the- 
beneficial influences of the atmosphere, 
Under this mode, surface draining is 
especially adapted for ground where there- 
would be no. outlet for water from under- 
ground drains, Trenching in such 
ground should not be deep; the soil from 
the walks or drains would materially- 
