198 THE 10UNG FARML'K'S MANUAL. 



the subsoil is very stubborn. On gravelly soils, or on any other 

 soils where the roots of trees strike deep readily, where the sub 

 soil has not been pulverized, this operation is not necessary. 

 The operator must exercise his own judgment, whether or not his 

 soil would be improved by such a process. In many localities, 

 such a preparation of soil for a hedge would be injurious, and a 

 hedge would not flourish as luxuriantly on it as it would have 

 done had the subsoil been allowed to remain untouched. "Where 

 a soil can be benefited by fall plowing, such a preparation is very 

 necessary. 



262. On the succeeding spring, as soon as the soil is dry 

 enough to plow, plow this strip of land by turning the furrows 

 inward at every plowing, until it is six or eight inches higher 

 over the ditch than it is at the sides. Level it with a harrow 

 and mark out the rows with a plow, and it is ready for the plants. 



263. When the soil is not of a uniform quality throughout the 

 whole distance, care and pains should be taken to make it so, as 

 far as practicable. In crossing a field forty or fifty rods in width, 

 for instance, a portion of the distance may be a deep, mellow, 

 and very fertile soil, where almost anything would flourish rapidly, 

 while, perhaps, only a few rods from this fertile soil, on a little 

 rise of ground, for a number of rods in length, the soil is very 

 compact, stubborn and barren. When this is the case, a few 

 loads of the good soil should be hauled, and well mingled with 

 the poor soil before the plowing is finished ; and there should be 

 enough spread along on the top to set the plants in. Besides 

 mingling the different kinds of soil, some parts of the land should 

 be well manured, and plowed in at the last plowing. The idea 

 to be kept in mind is, to have the soil, for the entire distance as 

 nearly as may be, of a uniform character, so that the hedge will 

 be of a uniform height throughout. If the soil be barren in one 

 place for a few rods, and very fertile in another place, it will be 

 impracticable to produce a hedge that will be at all beautiful, and 

 efficient for the purpose of turning animals. If the soil is not 

 sufficiently fertile to produce good crops of grain, it should be 

 well manured with chip manure where the soil is compact, if it 



