310 PYRUS MALUS. 



but it is much bottor to sulimit to two or oven (broo y^^r'^" drlay. than for a hiin- 

 (Irt'd y<'ars to bavi; bad iViiit. 'V\\r. most proper lime lor plaiitiiii: out, is soon 

 atitr the trees bave sbed tboir buivos. Tbcy sboiild be takot) up with their lat- 

 eral roots at U>ast two l.-ft in length, and planted as soon as possible. In jlant- 

 iiiLT orchards, the uroimd. for the space of at least six feet in diameter, should be 

 trenched two spades dee|), the lowermost of winch should be cast away, and 

 the other well broken with a spade or otherwise, and the p^ace of the former 

 sii|)plied with turl", or a compost of stable-dung, a small portion of leaf-mould or 

 peat, well mixed with newly-slacked lime, aslies, soda, or almost any other alka- 

 line substance. It is of some imiKjrtance tliat the tree, when ])lanted, should 

 stand in the same position with regard to the sun, as that in which it grew in the 

 nursery; and. in order to insure this, the south or north side of each tree should 

 be marked before it is removed, and this might be done at the time of selection. 

 Care should be taken to surround the roots with the linest part of the mould, and 

 to jilant the trees at precisely the same depth as that at which they before grew. 

 The ragged or lacerated ends of the roots should be taken otf with the knife ; and 

 the hole, after being duly prepared as above, opened wide enough to admit the 

 longest of them. If the ground at the time of planting be dry, and water can be 

 conveniently procured, two or three bucket fuls, applied to each of the trees, will 

 be of essential service iti securing its growth. The tree, being temporarily fixed 

 in its proper position by a single stake, the hole should be nearly filled with 

 mould, and the water poured upon it. After a few hours, the remaining mould 

 may be added, and well trodden down. If, in the ensuing spring, a thick dress- 

 ing of a well-mixed compost of lime and earth be laid over the space that has 

 been opened round each tree, and afterwards dug in, it will be highly beneficial 

 to it ; and digging or forking round the trees should be repeated for three or four 

 years in succession. After this period, it is probable that the leaves falling from 

 the trees, will be nearly or quite adequate to the supply of all the organic or gas- 

 eous substances required for the perfection of their fruit; therefore, it is in the 

 mechanical state, and to the inorganic constitution of the soil that we are to look 

 for those conditions which are either favourable or unfavourable to the growth and 

 productiveness of such trees. It is not enough that the soil be neither too open 

 nor too retentive for the supply of a due degree of moisture ; it must also contain 

 those inorganic or mineral substances which the tree and its fruit require. "\\ hen 

 the defects are known, the remedies are obvious. By draining and trenching only, 

 a stiff soil may probably be rendered favourable to the production of fruit; and, 

 if this operation fail to produce the desired effect, it is evident that mineral ma- 

 nures are wanting, which may be supplied by heavy dressings of lime, or peat 

 ashes, or both. If the soil be too porous, a heavy dressing of marl is the best 

 remedy ; and when this cannot be procured, clay, with lime, and peat or other 

 ashes, will supply its place. 



When young trees have been carefully planted, and well fenced, they will 

 require but little attention, except that of keeping up the fences, and to see that they 

 are not shaken by the wind. Tbe mode of fencing must be suited to the kind of 

 stock kept in the orchard. If sheep only are depastured, each tree may be closely 

 surrounded by strong thorns stuck in the ground, enclosed and sustained by thick 

 stakes, firmly driven, and reaching nearly to the forks. These stakes should be 

 strongly bound together by bands or withes ; and, as a further precaution against 

 damage from the gnawing of sheep, at any exposed place, the tree should be 

 washed or smeared with a mixture of creamy lime and green cow-dung, which 

 should be renewed, from time to time, as occasion may require. If it be indis- 

 pensable to stock the orchard occasionally with large cattle, each tree must be 

 fenced by two or three strong rough posts, firmly fixed in the ground, and united 



