Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1859-10-28
Plant Fruit Trees.

Plaut them as soon as the frost has
nearly stripped them of their summer foil.
age, and 10 three or four years golden re-
wards may be reaped, in yellow, juicy sp.
pies, and luscious mellow pears, to say
nothing Of the stone fruits. The latter arc
more safely planted in spring The pres
ent is more leisure season, better selec-
ton can usually be made, and the tree is in
its place and ready to start into growth at
the ordinary leafng time in Spring; is
can also better withstand the drouth Of
midsummer. Perhaps the only exceptions
to successful fall planting are, first where
the soil is wet and the contractions aud
expansions of superabundans moisture de-
stroy the root fbres and, second, in the
case of tender varieties, which are liable
to winter kill. A few of the late growing
aud tender sorts of apple trees may also
be left until Spring in the northern
States
No universal directions for setting out
trees can be given. As a general thing
it is better to give all trees and plants
abundant depth to prepare the soil under
them SO that they can send down roots,
where moisture will always abound, no mat
ter how parched or dry the surface soil
To secure this it is advised to dig large,
deep hole, and fill j; with rich surface soil.
With single but very common exception,
this rule is good one. We refer to those
localities where the subsOil is clay or hard
pan of SO compact 4 texture as to retain
water Even on these, the large hole is
the best, if proper drainage be provided;
but iu the most cases the planters will not
take this trouble or expense. II on such
retentiye soils the tree be planted in Q
deep mass of rich earth, its roots will be
invited downwards, aud they will literally
stand in a basin of water. We advise,
therefore, that in planting trees, the soil IN
which they stand be loosened aud prspa-
red only to the depth to which it may be
kept free from standing water. If thin
surface soil rests upon reteutive subsoil,
break up the latter as deeply as possible
BY subsoiiing, and loosen it where the tree
is to stand but little deeper than elsewhere.
A deep porous soil is always best for fruit
trees, but such a soil can not always be
found in every locality, and where not
found, let it be initiated BY preparing the
soil at hand as deeply as may be. lfplo"-
ed nine or ten inches deep, and subsolled
six or seven, it will then be loosened hf-
teen or sixteen inches deep, and the hols
for the tree may be made to that depth,
filing i. always with surface soil, natural
Iy rich, or made so BY the addition Of rot
ten manure, or muck, decayed leaves, etc.
We have this week examined apple and
pear trees fifty to hundred years and
more old, which stood over . clay and
subsoil, but the roots were spread out IN
the surface soil thirty to sixty feet in ev-
cry direction. Usually, these oldtrees are
found Oh limestone soils, loose and porous
deeply down, aud they are most frequeus
upon knolls, hillocks or slopes, havings
dry, deep, loamy or stony soil.
On wet soils, good success has been At
taiued by preparing the ground, setting the
tree directly upon the surface-no h0ls
being dug-apd then placing soil around
and upon the roots, up to the collar or
point where the soil reached in the origi-
nal locality. The tree then stands upon
,r in an artificial hillock, and sends Its
roots out into the dry soil thus prepared
A general rule may be stated thus:
Plant the tree on as deep soil as possible,
but avoid putting it where its roots will
,s far down 10 barren subsoil beyondths
each of air and warmth, surrounded With
taguant cold water.
In trausplauting all trees, they should
lsually be planted only as deep as they
rev in their original positions. Heaplns
be earth around the trunk higher than
bis, often proves fatal. In planting in
Ioles, let there be ample room for the
oots to be spread out naturally, and drop
O the loose sol! around them, laskiOg's
IoWn carefully.