62 THE APPLE CULTURIST. 



Drains between the Rows of Fruit-trees. The ground 

 for another orchard was prepared in the following manner : 

 Stakes were set to indicate the rows of trees, thirty-three 

 feet distant, each way. As the subsoil was a heavy, reten- 

 tive calcareous clay, it was deemed necessary to put a deep 

 under-drain between all the rows. The ground was plough- 

 ed by cutting very narrow furrow-slices, and going twice 

 in a place, making a deep middle furrow midway between 

 the rows. Then a good tile drain was put down, in no 

 place less than thirty inches, and in many places four feet 

 deep. The land was then ploughed again, turning back 

 furrows to the ditches, and finishing deep dead furrows 

 where the rows of trees were to stand. The tiles drew all 

 the surplus water, so that the heavy and compact soil was 

 greatly improved in its friability. But there are hundreds 

 of orchards that would never be benefited by drains be- 

 tween the rows; and there are untold numbers of fruit- 

 trees of all kinds which have never yielded half a crop of 

 fruit, simply because the ground has been kept too wet and 

 cold during two or more months in the former part of the 

 growing season. There are frequently some portions of an 

 orchard which are excessively wet, while mostof the ground 

 would never be benefited by under-draining. When young 

 apple-trees do not grow luxuriantly where the soil is deep 

 and fertile, and when the leaves do not seem to be healthy, 

 it is a certain indication of one of the following difficulties, 

 namely: The ground is too wet and cold; or borers are 

 working in the stem ; or the tap root has been cut off ; or 

 one was never sent down into the subsoil to bring up 

 moisture in dry weather, and such inorganic material as 

 the growing tree requires ; or the soil round about the tree 

 is not kept free from noxious weeds, injurious grass, and 

 other crops. 



If the rows are to be laid out in the quincunx style, stake 



