SHALLOW CULTIVATION AFTER PLANTING. 347 



produce and sustain fruitfulness are near the sur- 

 face ; they are ahnost invisible, and drink in the fer- 

 tility of every shower, and that of the morning dew. 

 The strong roots, which penetrate immediately to 

 the subsoil, sustain the vigor of the tree, and it 

 is the object of root-pruning, as has been seen, to 

 prevent their formation, or to destroy them when in 

 existence. Thus by this operation extreme vigor 

 is checked, and maturity gained. The same results 

 are often obtained by encouraging the roots to come 

 to the surface. This does not follow deep cultiva- 

 tion, for by it the little root-fibres in the surface- 

 soil are destroyed, or prevented from forming. It 

 can, therefore, be understood why orchards deeply 

 cultivated refuse to bear fruit, and still exhibit a 

 luxuriant growth ; they are receiving a constant 

 pruning, which is discouraging fruitfulness, and pro- 

 moting vigor. A fork, with tines only two or three 

 inches in le^igth, or a horse-cultivator, used judi- 

 ciously, will answer all the good ends, without the 

 evil results which follow the use of a deeper instru- 

 ment. 



The frequency of this operation cannot be gov- 

 erned by any fixed rule ; the state of the weather, 

 the condition of the soil, and the presence of weeds 

 must decide it. The land should not be stirred 

 when wet. The object in moving the soil is to so 

 increase its porosity, by the separation of each par- 

 ticle from its neighbor, that the air may penetrate 



