ORCHARDS. 



67 



occasionally stirred, and left for the freezing and frost of one 

 winter to mellow it — a little lime, or ashes,* added to the 

 heap contributes greatly to its value ; the rubbish lime from 

 old walls and buildings is the best. Well rotted stable manure 

 alone is also very beneficial as a top dressing for trees. 



LAYING OFF. 



The soil having been thoroughly prepared and sufficiently 

 manured, the next process will be laying off the ground for 

 planting. This affords an opportunity for the exercise of 

 some skill and taste. In arranging the trees, Mr. Bucknall 

 directs them to be planted conformably to the mode repre- 

 sented in the following cut : 



One row of the tallest and strongest standards is to be set 

 on three cold sides, parallel to which, must be planted another 

 row of the next free-gro2vei'S, then the trees are to be disposed 

 in a similar manner, according to their strength, gradually 

 declining in size, to the center. Each standard is to be 

 placed 33 feet apart, between which two dwarf-trees should be 

 planted, all of them being so pruned that each row will, in 

 the course of a few years, form an actual hedge of fruit. 

 The intermediate spaces may be filled with any hoed crops, 

 which should be omitted accordingly as the trees advance in 

 growth. Farther, the rows of trees ought to incline to a 

 point of the compass towards the east, because the sun will 

 shine upon them early in the forenoon, and thus dissipate the 



* Well rotted cbip manure is excellent for fruit trees. It comes under 

 the head of leaves, forest mould, and such like material from vegetable 

 decay. The effect of ashes is immediate and continues for years. 



