1 8 Commercial Gardening 



for the use of the crop. Mr. A. D. Hall says (The Soil, p. 100): "The 

 soils which are least affected by drought are the deep loamy sands of 

 very uniform texture, fine grained enough to possess a considerable lifting 

 surface, and yet not too line to interfere with the free movement of water ". 

 A fruit tree when once established in suitable soil is able to send its roots 

 into the subsoil and do its own pulverization; it is only during the first year 

 or two after planting, when it has not had time to develop its root system, 

 that it needs the soil finely prepared for it. It is generally considered to 

 be sufficient, therefore, for all practical purposes if the soil is broken up 

 to the depth of 18 in., and this will also do for bush fruits. The question 

 of deep and shallow cultivation has been dealt with in Vol. I., pp. 101-25. 



In spade culture the cheapest way to accomplish this is by bastard 

 trenching, which is turning one spit over, shovelling the bottom of the 

 trench, and then forking the bottom. This will cost from 6 to 8 per acre 

 according to soil. In mechanical culture the best way will be to get the 

 land steam -scarified twice, the second time at right angles to the first. 

 This will cost 14s. per acre exclusive of coal and water, and the cartage 

 of them to the engines. The land can then be ploughed with horses, 

 care being taken not to have the furrows wider than 8 in., so that all 

 the surface soil is thoroughly moved. The ploughing and subsequent 

 harrowing and rolling for planting will cost about 20s. per acre. 



Planting can be continued all the winter, during suitable weather, up 

 till March. 



Analysis of the soil will give some idea of what manure is desirable. 

 If a deficiency of lime is shown, it will be convenient to apply a dressing 

 of fresh burnt lime of 4 tons to the acre, and let it slack before the land 

 is scarified. It is generally not wise to plough a dressing of dung in when 

 planting fruit trees; it is better applied as a "poultice" or mulch round 

 each tree and bush after planting. By such a plan the nourishment in 

 the dressing is washed by the rains down to the rootlets, and by checking 

 evaporation it is a valuable help to the young plantation during dry spells 

 in the summer. 



On soils suitable for the cultivation of fruit little of nitrogenous 

 manures is required; lime, phosphoric acid, and potash will be found the 

 most effective. The lime can be applied in a dressing of 3 or 4 tons to 

 the acre in the winter about every four years. For the others a dressing 

 of 4 cwt. of a good brand of basic slag and 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash 

 in the early autumn will be found a convenient method. 



In many successfully cultivated fruit gardens a mulching of long dung 

 is put on once every three or four years in the late winter or early spring. 

 This plan may be strongly recommended when a fully cropped garden has 

 reached maturity, and the soil at the surface consequently becomes crowded 

 with root fibres. 



But it cannot be too frequently reiterated that one of the most im- 

 portant things is to keep down the wild growths that, if allowed to grow, 

 will rob the trees and bushes of nutriment and moisture. Weeds are the 



