THE SEASON FOR PULVERIZATION. 157 



propriety of trenching with the spade for ordinary 

 farm crops. The hand was carefully pulverized to 

 a depth of three feet, and was then planted with 

 carrots. The result proved unquestionably the profit 

 of a thorough preparation of the soil. 



But under some circumstances, such as the scar- 

 city of labor, some more economical method must 

 be adopted. A common plough, with two horses or 

 oxen, first turns as deep a furrow as possible, and 

 the subsoil plough following immediately behind it 

 with four cattle, loosens the earth to from eighteen 

 to twenty inches more in depth. After this loosen- 

 ing of the subsoil has taken place, frequent pulver- 

 ization of the surface by cross-ploughing tends to 

 comminute the soil more perfectly. It is well to 

 cultivate the ground for one season with some hoed 

 crop before planting the trees, which loosens the 

 earth still more, and gives time for the subsoil to 

 become sweetened. 



The season for pulverization. The best time for 

 subsoil pulverization is the autumn, because the 

 frost will then penetrate the earth during the 

 winter. In some localities insects nearly ruin the 

 crops ; these bury themselves in the soil which is 

 not disturbed. If ploughing is performed in the 

 autumn, these insects are exposed to the weather, 

 and must nearly all perish ; but if this is done in 

 the spring, they are aided in their resurrection, 

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