FRUIT GROWING 51 



speaking, all fruit trees want a good soil, and 

 good depth of soil. Of course bad ground 

 can be improved, but it is a great question 

 whether it is worth spending time and money 

 in so doing, because it is not only the great 

 expense of manuring and cultivating which 

 is never ending, but if the roots lack proper 

 nourishment the trees will not grow or bear 

 crops worth speaking of during the process 

 of improvement. It is money out of pocket, 

 capital invested which gives no return, and 

 therefore does not pay, and a business woman 

 must not meddle in things which do not pay, 

 except for sentimental reasons. I do not 

 mean that making money is to be the end 

 sought for itself, far from it ; a woman whose 

 ultima thule is s. d. is to be avoided like 

 a disease ; but when after a fair trial it can 

 be proved that this or that branch of work 

 brings no proper returns, I maintain that it 

 is the duty of a business woman to say, 

 " This must be stopped," and at once proceed 

 to turn the land or the stock to some other 



