THE MOST FAVOURABLE SOILS AND CLIMATE. 31 



the soil has been deeply tilled and manured for a series of 

 years with substances that contain a considerable amount of 

 phosphorus, such as woollen rags and bones. The roots of 

 the hop also descend far below the deepest tillage that can be 

 given it ; (in a calcareous gravelly subsoil they have been 

 traced ten feet from the surface ;) a kind of subsoiling is thus 

 prepared for the apple by the decay of the hop roots. In 

 some parts it is the custom to introduce the hop culture upon 

 the planting of a young orchard, the hops occupying the 

 intervals until the branches of the trees interfere with them. 

 Nothing is more likely than this to ensure a rapid and healthy 

 growth of the trees. 



I recommend to those who intend planting an orchard, to 

 have the ground for it in a state of even, deep, fine tilth before 

 hand, and to plant in the intervals between apple or pear 

 trees some crop, which, like hops, will be likely to get for 

 itself good feeding and culture for several years. Peach- 

 trees, and dwarf apples (on doup ain stocks) and pears (on 

 quince stocks), answer very well for this, and will make a 

 handsome return some years before the standard apples and 

 pears come into bearing. 



With regard to the richness of the soil, however, it is said 

 that &quot; although high and exciting modes of cultivation may 

 flatter for a while by specious appearances, it is a grave 

 consideration whether they do not carry serious evils in 

 their train.&quot; This caution will remind the American horti 

 culturist of Mr. Downing s recommendation to those plant 

 ing orchards on the over-deep and rich Western alluvial soils, 

 to set the trees upon hillocks. The danger apprehended is in 

 both cases the same, that of too succulent growth. Mr. Wil 

 liams, of Pitmaston, a distinguished English horticulturist, 

 has found deficient ripeness of the young wood to be the prime 

 predisposing cause of the canker. He recommends every 



