THE APPLE TREE ] 259 



3 metres apart, so that the land may not be too much 

 shaded for other cultivations. The land is tilled deeply 

 and well manured beforehand, and it is a good practice 

 when planting in deep, stiff or clayey soils, to construct 

 for each row of trees a trench i metre deep and i| 

 to 2 metres broad, filling the bottom of the trench 

 for about 30 c.m. with rubbish or loose material, and 

 then filling up with the soil which had been taken out, 

 mixing it with stable manure or with road sweepings. 



CULTIVATION. The apple tree grown in the vege- 

 table garden or on irrigated lands requires no futher 

 cultivation beyond that regularly bestowed on the crops 

 of vegetables. It is not then in need of either special 

 tillage, manuring or irrigation, the only attention 

 required consisting in regular pruning and trimming to 

 shape in winter, and in the various treatments against 

 insects and fungous parasites, if necessary. The fertilizing 

 material which sinks into the ground out of the reach 

 of the roots of vegetables will be utilised by the apple 

 trees, and the root system of these is never such as 

 to interfere appreciably with the cultivation of vegetables 

 or to appropriate the fertilizers meant for them. 



The apple orchard should be tilled at least three 

 times a year, in the same manner as the pear orchard; 

 the same attention is also required as regards manuring. 

 The land may be cropped during winter and early 

 spring, but of course the heavier crops should be 

 avoided, preference being given to leguminose crops 

 such as peas, vetches, and French beans or haricots. 

 Beans may be grown if sown sparingly between the 

 rows of trees. When the land is cropped regularly, 

 trenching and manuring should be done every fourth 

 year, but care should be taken not to trench deeply 

 in order not to cause injury to the upper roots of the 

 trees. On land newly trenched, if the soil is suitable, 

 two crops of potatoes may be obtained, one in spring 

 and the other in autumn, or a crop of melons, water- 



