22 PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 



to tlie bottom of the trench, and covered ten to twelve 

 inches deep with sterile soil, which has never been 

 aerated by frequent stirring, in contact with the 

 atmosphere ; either a very large quantity of manure 

 must be applied, or, with ordinary treatment, some 

 years must elapse, before the soil can become fertile, 

 or capable of sustaining trees in a healthy condition. 



A trench, two or three feet wide, should be dug to 

 the proposed depth, across the end of the ground 

 designed for trenching, and the earth deposited on 

 the side of the ditcli opposite to the space intended 

 for treatment. The soil thrown up should now be 

 dressed into an easy slope, so that other earth cast 

 upon any part of its face will not fall to the bottom 

 > of the trench, but remain where it is placed. 



A single spade's- width should now be taken from the 

 surface soil, and scattered evenly over the sloping 

 breast of loose earth, forming a layer of three or four 

 inches in thickness, from tlie bottom of the trench to 

 the top of the bank. Over this should be thrown the 

 next spade's-depth of subsoil, forming a somewhat 

 thicker layer; and this again is to be covered w^ith 

 part of the adjoining surface-earth ; and lastly, over 

 this is placed the third spade's-depth of subsoil. The 

 bottom of the trench may now be simply loosened by 

 the spade, without throwing up the earth, unless it is 

 determined to trench deeper than two feet. The 

 manure to be used should now be spread evenly, so 

 as to form another layer from the top to tlie bottom 

 of the sloping bank, and the alternate strata of fertile 

 earth, barren suljsoils, and manure, continued to the 

 end. 



