FEB.] PLANTING* 209 



injlirious to the trees. By wrapping the stems round 

 with hay-bands, the air is too much excluded from 

 them, wliicli it is not, though tlieybe ever so close«. 

 ly surrounded by thorns, and so as effectually to 

 prevent the hares from coming at them. Those who 

 besmear the stems of trees with oil, and with certain 

 dungs, in order to save them from the depredations 

 of hares and rabbits, prove themselves to be little 

 acquainted with the economy of vegetation. By 

 closing up the pores of the bark, they do the plants 

 an equal, if not a greater injury, than the hares do 

 by peeling them. 



Of cropping the Ground among young Orchard 

 Trees. 



It is very proper to crop the ground among new 

 planted orchard trees for a few yearS, in order to de- 

 fray the expense of hoeing and cultivating it; which 

 should be done until the temporary plants are re- 

 moved, and the whole be sown down in grass. But 

 it is by no means advisable to carry the system of 

 cropping with vegetables to such an excess as is fre- 

 quently done. If the bare expense of cultivating 

 the ground, and the rent, be paid by such cropping, 

 it should be considered enough. As the trees begin 

 to produce fruit, begin also to relinquish cropping. 

 When by their productions they defray all expenses, 

 crop no longer. I consider these as being whole- 

 some rules, both for the trees and their o^wners; of 

 which the reader may see further, ]>y turning to the 

 same subiect in Novembei'. 



