Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-04-24
How to Plant Garden Trees.

Our modern method has the merit of
being rational. 1t looks upon roots as or
CANS to be preserved, and not useless APP
pendages to be mutilated or destroyed at
pleasure. 1t recognizes the importance of
giving them fair start in the best posi-
BILE direction; it acknowledges that they
are worthy of room; although necessity
compels us to bury them out of sight,
they are never on that account out of the
modern cultivator's mind One of the
most singular revolutions in horticultural
practice is the additional interest that is
now taken in the roots Of plants. Ancient
cultivators operated on the trunks and
branches chiefly and directly. They
sought to induce fruitfulness by barking,
ringing, twisting, and cutting them in va
rious ways. Modern hOrticulturists
achieve the same result much more speed
lily and successfully through the medium
of the roots. Root culture is therefore
not only of the highest importance of it
self, but it has modified and altered our
plant; hence planting now, instead Of
being performed in hap-hazard rule-of
thumb sort of way, is conducted with
more care than almost any other operation
in gardening. Before planting, take sur
vey of the roots of the plant, and measure
their length; then, from the point where
the bOle of the tree is to be placed, sweep
a radius right round if the tree is to be
placed in the open ground, or half round
if against a wall From this semi or
whole circle remove the soil to depth Of
six inches, or less for very small trees;
then tread down the bottom quite firm
and make it even. If the soil is
naturally strong or wet, no earth
need be thrown out at all, but
the preliminary operations of leve),ing
and consolidating may be made Cd the
surface itself. If only moderately strong,
the hole might rise slightly from the CEN
ter to the sides Under no circumstances
should it fall from the center to the cir
conference; and as a rule the bottom of
the hole for the roots should be perfectly
smooth and quite level Over this care
fully prepared base thin layer of COM
post, consisting of equal parts Of sweet
leafmould, may be spread. On this the
tree is to be placed; fix it at once to the
wall or fence, or to stake, to be now
driven into the ground for this purpose.
There are two great advantages in plac-
ing the stake into the ground at this
stage: one is that no roots can be destroy
ed by its insertion atterward, and the
other that, by fixing the tree at once loose
ly to the stake, both hands are left free for
the great operation-and it needs them
both, and nice head to guide them, to
root plant skillfully and well. With a
sharp knife in one hand, and root in the
other, begin the process of laying out the
roots to the best advantage. Handle them
as tenderly as if every rootlet was en-
dowed with sensitive feeling. Cut off
with care and precision every broken and
bruised part; let the whole diverge from
the center to the circumference like the
spokes of wheel, or the branches on a
well-formed fan trained peach tree. Let
there be no entanglements nor interlac-
ings; give each root its own line of sway.
The operation is nice. and delicate one,
and must not be hurried through It con-
stitutes the basis Of success, and it is as
notably important in the science Of horti-
culture as in that of architecture that the
foundation should he well and truly
laid"
Having satisfied ourselves on this point,
the next proceeding in the operation is
that of filing in or up. First should come
a covering, about two inches thick, of the
same compost as that placed beneath the
roots, Then the whole of the other earth