6 



THE ELOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



barberries, also walnuts and chest- 

 nuts ; ihe two latter are well adapted 

 to afford shelter to the rest, aud for 

 that purpose should be planted around 

 the boundary at the most exposed 

 places. 



The situation which is selected for 

 an orchard should be rather elevated 

 than otherwise, on a gentle declivity, 

 and open to the south and south-east, 

 to give free admission to the sun. and 

 to promote a circulation of air, -which 

 will dry up damps and disperse fogs, 

 and by this means induce healthiness 

 in the trees, and a high flavour in the 

 fruit. It should, however, be well 

 sheltered from the north and westerly 

 winds, and if not naturally so by the 

 surface of the ground, it must be ren- 

 dered so by plantations, for which 

 purpose the chestnut and walnut- 

 trees already referred to will be w.ell 

 adapted. In very exposed situations, 

 and where there is plenty of room, a 

 few forest trees may be added, at a 

 little distance. 



That soil which produces good 

 crops of corn, grass, or garden vege- 

 tables, will also do well for an orchard. 

 A loamy soil should, however, be pre- 

 ferred, and a shingly or gravelly soil 

 avoided, unless there is loam inter- 

 mixed : a medium soil, between light 

 and dry, and wet, and stubborn, will 

 be suitable. If the subsoil is clay, 

 the roots will require to be cut in 

 every four or five years, to prevent 

 them from penetrating too deeply. 

 Pefore planting, the soil should be 

 trenched two spades deep, and ten 

 feet broad, where the trees are to be 

 planted, and the subsoil should also 

 be loosened, if it is not clay, which is 

 best kept trodden down. If it is pas- 

 ture land, it ought to be ploughed and 

 summer fallowed, to kill the grass, as 

 well as pulverize the soil. I consider 

 ploughing to be more effective than 

 trenching, as the latter operation turns 

 the sod below, where it is a long time 

 decaying, and harbours the grub, 

 which frequently does mischief to the 

 roots. 



The best time for planting on a 

 dry soil is October ; if wet, the end 

 of February, or even March, is pre- 

 ferable. It will be necessary to sup- 

 port the trees against the wind until 



they become well rooted. In plant- 

 ing, endeavour to suit the trees as 

 well as possible to the soil and situa- 

 tion, and to plant them at proper dis- 

 tances from each other ; this may be 

 from forty to eighty feet, according to 

 the size attained by the trees when 

 full-grown. Fruit-trees, when planted 

 too thickly, are liable to become 

 blighted, and covered with moss, 

 which is highly detrimental. Procure 

 the trees, if possible, from a similar 

 soil to that in which they are about to 

 be planted, or rather more sterile, for 

 trees « hen transplanted from a rich 

 soil to a poor one, seldom thrive ; but 

 if from a poor soil they are removed 

 to a more fertile one, they will seldom 

 fail. 



In the choice of trees, too much 

 care can scarcely be bestowed : none 

 should be admitted which have not 

 good roots, fair clean stems, and pro- 

 perly formed heads. It is necessary, 

 too, to secure a proper assortment of 

 varieties, especially of apples and 

 pears, for much will depend on this : 

 verv few of the summer kinds will 

 suilice ; a greater number of autumn 

 kinds should be chosen, and still more 

 of the late kinds, as upon these latter 

 will depend the supply, from the 

 month of January to July. In gene- 

 ral, a greater quantity of apples should 

 be planted than of any other fruit. 



If the trees are planted in the 

 quincunx order, and at a distance of 

 eighty feet apart, the ground between 

 them may be cropped, if thought 

 proper. Ploughing, or digging the 

 ground, provided it be not done so 

 deep as to injure the roots, will serve 

 to keep the trees in a healthy flourish- 

 ing state, by admitting the sun and 

 rain. 



If the spring, after planting, should 

 prove a dry one, it will be desirable 

 to mulch the surface, as far as the 

 roots are likely to extend, with half- 

 rotten dung, or leaves ; or it would 

 be better to procure some turf, and 

 lay it the grassy side downwards ; 

 either of these plans will keep the 

 ground moist, and save a great deal 

 of watering, and when decayed they 

 may be dug in, and will thus become 

 beneficial. 



Trees that are of different sizes, 



