74 GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 



Where draining tiles are not to be bad conveniently, 

 small stones may be used. The bottom of the drain 

 should be filled with them to the depth of eight or ten 

 inches. In using these, the drains require to be at least 

 six inches deeper than for tiles, in order that a sufficient 

 quantity of stones can be used without coining too near 

 the surface. Some brush, or turf, with the grassy side 

 downwards, should be laid on the stones before filling in 

 the earth, to keep it from filling up the crevices. 



Objections are sometimes made to draining for orchards 

 on the ground that the roots may get into the drains, and 

 fill them up. This difficulty is obviated by placing the 

 rows of trees at a proper distance from the drains. 



CHAPTER III. 



MANURES. 

 SECTION 1. IMPORTANCE OF MANURES. 



JSTo soil, whatever may be its original fertility, can sus- 

 tain a heavy and continued vegetation for many years 

 without becoming, to some extent, exhausted. Indeed, 

 there are few people so fortunate, except those who settle 

 upon new, uncultivated lands, as to procure a soil that 

 does not need manuring to fit it for the first planting with 

 trees. It is, then, a matter of importance for every man, 

 who has more or less land to cultivate, to inform himself 

 well on the subject of saving, preparing, and applying 

 manures. In this country, the only class of men, general- 

 ly speaking, who can be properly said to collect and 

 manage manures with system and care, are nurserymen 

 and market gardeners near our large towns. It is very 



