218 ON PLANTING ORCHARDS 



branches. To make the foundation quite per- 

 fect may be expensive, but it must be considered, 

 that the work thus done is for ever done ; it will 

 not require repairing : and the additional proli- 

 ficacy of the trees, their healthy duration, and 

 the superior quality of the fruit, will make an 

 ample return. However, where the expense of 

 paving to a full extent cannot be afforded, even 

 three or four feet square immediately under the 

 tree, will be a great protection : it will, at any 

 rate, give a right direction to the roots in their 

 first outset, and prevent the formation of tap- 

 roots, which are bad things in fruit-trees. 



As the figure of a tree, or its shape and form, 

 determines its powers of sustaining weights on 

 its branches, and of resisting the wind ; and its 

 prolificacy, in a great measure, depends on the 

 due and regular expansion and exposure of its 

 branches equally to the influence of the sun 

 and air, this should be attended to on its first 

 formation or grafting. And if the following par- 

 ticulars in the mode of managing it are attended 

 to, they will be found to produce a tree of that 

 shape and strength, that will be equal, in every 

 respect, to its w ants. 



Whether the tree be intended to be raised by 

 inserting the graft near the ground, or at a suffi- 

 cient height to form a head ; only one graft 



