6 THE GARDENER. [Jan. 



which are, of course, prepared the previous season. Badly -drained 

 land, especially if in a low and flat position, must have main drains 

 and cross ones leading to them, and the whole taken with a fall 

 beyond the orchard or garden to some distance. If air or light is 

 kept from the trees by plantations or other means, it is useless to 

 attempt to do justice to both — though trees as "break-winds," at 

 a proper distance from an orchard or garden, are advantageous. Barren 

 subsoil can be kept in its place and the roots out of it by a proper 

 system of lifting and mulching. Tap-roots are evils which should not 

 be allowed to exist. Timely attention to young trees by lifting them, 

 or concreting the holes at planting time, will save disappointment, by 

 giving fibres instead of huge thongs of roots which draw up a super- 

 fluous amount of water. Mulching of trees with good manure attracts 

 the roots upwards, where they can have the benefit of sun and healthy 

 soil. Planting of the trees is a very important operation, the best 

 season being October and November ; but trees are often seen in good 

 health and bearing plenty of fruit which have been planted at all times 

 between September and May. We have lifted and transplanted trees 

 with roots in a mass of fibre with success during the dog-days ; but such 

 cannot be a general practice. At the present season, if planting is to be 

 done, we would say, wait till near the time of the sap flowing, when the 

 buds begin to swell ; the roots then push into new soil, and little check 

 is sustained. Meanwhile the trees should be chosen in the nursery 

 grounds ; and if weather is dry and suitable, the ground may be 

 prepared for the trees. We have planted a new garden and orchard of 

 goodly size within three years (besides a number of small new ones), 

 and during this season a good old garden and orchard has been 

 renovated, and planted with choice collections of fruit-trees. The 

 two places are very differently situated — one on the west coast of 

 Wales (the old place), and the new one in a beautiful part of 

 Worcestershire. The Welsh place is low and flat, only a few feet 

 above the level of the sea, the soil light and gritty. The gardens 

 and orchard are enclosed with dense woods, and no doubt have been 

 ruined for want of fresh air. The new garden is high and dry, 

 fairly sheltered, and soil of the most tenacious description. The 

 system of preparation for planting as a necessity is widely different. 

 Trenching in the first place is necessary for both situations — two 

 spades deep, and the bottoms turned over roughly. The holes are 

 made a good width (the roots being spread out as far as they would 

 go), a quantity of brick and lime rubbish was worked into the bot- 

 toms of the holes, and a quantity of fresh loam added to each hole. 

 In the old place the trees are planted high above the surrounding 

 flat and low ground, well mulched, and the surface above the roots 



