106 SKLECrmG, PLANTING, AND CULTIVATION. 



until it lias reached its proj^er level (as this careless 

 plan TvoiiLd displace all the roots, and entirely ruin the 

 more delicate ones) but the earth should he carefully 

 removed, and the tree reset. The hole should be filled, 

 as far as possible, with the top soil ; and to obtain a 

 sufficiency for this purpose, the soil should be removed 

 from the adjoining surface, and intermingled with a 

 portion of the subsoil, to Ull the hole. 



If the eai-th immediately around the roots of a tree 

 is poor, the most skillful cultivator cannot remedy 

 the defect without removal of the tree ; but when an 

 infertile soil is upon the surface, any ordinary laborer 

 can improve it by manuring. 



The loose earth with which holes are filled in plant- 

 ing trees, must not be pressed upon the roots by tread- 

 ing, or otlier means, under the pretext of fixing the 

 tree firmly in its place. The more loose and porous the 

 soil is left, m filling the hole, the more j)erfectly will 

 the next rains wash it among and around the roots, 

 and solidify the ground. If convenient, a few pails 

 of water would imperfectly imitate the efi*ect of rain, 

 and prove temporarily beneficial. To prevent the 

 displacement of the tree by heavy winds, and the con- 

 sequent racking and fracture of the roots, a mound of 

 earth should be raised against the body, to remain 

 through the winter, and for a month or more in spring. 



PLAN OF AERANGING PEAK GPwOUNDS. 



By training all the trees of a plantation, whether on 

 Quince or Pear roots, as pyramids or low standards, 

 but little care need be observed to preserve greater 

 distances between those on Pear stocks. The best 



