INTRODUCTION. 17 



of labor bestowed. In many instances, with an annual 

 expenditure of twenty-five dollars per acre, a return of 

 only one hundred is obtained, while upon the same soil 

 and with the same variety, if fifty dollars had been ex- 

 pended, the return would have been three or four hundred. 

 All experiments show that extra culture is far more prof- 

 itable than what is generally termed good culture. I do 

 not mean by this that it is necessary to trench the soil 

 four feet deep, and apply a thousand loads of manure per 

 acre to a soil which is naturally deep and rich ; but that 

 deep plowing and subsoiling should be employed, with a 

 liberal supply of enriching materials, if the best results 

 are to be obtained. But few of those who are called 

 good cultivators are aware of the large increase of fruit 

 which may be produced on an acre by giving extra cul- 

 ture, instead of the ordinary method. Many fruit-grow- 

 ers, for the purpose of extending their business, increase 

 the number of acres, when, if they would double the 

 depth of that which they already possess, they would ob- 

 tain the same increase in product without going to the 

 expense of purchasing more land, besides incurring the 

 extra trouble of cultivating two acres, when one might, 

 with proper care, produce the same results. Deepening 

 the soil is not wholly for the purpose of furnishing more 

 plant food, nor to facilitate the downward growth of 

 roots, but it is principally for the purpose of disintegra- 

 tion, and making it of such a consistency that it will be 

 capable of retaining a sufficient amount of moisture at all 

 times to nourish and supply the plants growing therein, 

 but not enough to be detrimental. Rain water, as is 

 well known, contains gases that are beneficial to plants, and 

 if the soil is in a condition to allow it to pass through it, a 

 large portion of these gases will be retained, but if the 

 surface is hard, the water either runs off or remains until 

 it evaporates. 

 Again, a soil that is loose and friable admits air, and 



