62 SITUATION. 



plowed in. They would perhaps be best if applied in au 

 tumn, but would do in spring. 



The Pear. As this contains a large quantity of phosphate 

 of lime, it gives strong promise of being benefitted by bone- 

 dust. For applying, the bones may be broken and dissolved 

 into a paste in a large tub by means of sulphuric acid. The 

 acid should be diluted with two and a half times its bulk 

 of water, and successive portions then added for three or 

 four days till the bones are dissolved, for which purpose 

 their bulk of the diluted acid will be required. The bone 

 paste is then mixed with several times as much old manure, 

 peat, or compost, and applied so as to give eight or ten 

 pounds of the paste to each large tree, and to smaller ones 

 in proportion. If ground bones only are used, twice that 

 quantity may be applied. As the pear contains also much 

 potash, twice as much ashes as bone may be used in the 

 compost. 



The Grape. For this, nearly the same may be used as 

 for the apple, except a larger supply of potash. 



These experiments are easily tried, and may often be 

 found very successful. . But in all experiments of the kind 

 it must not be forgotten that nothing for general use is equal 

 to stable manure, and in ordinary cases it will be found to 

 give the most uniform and satisfactory results more espe- 

 cially if it is made the basis of a compost with peat, muck, 

 or turf from old pastures, with a tenth or a fifteenth of 

 leached ashes, and half that of bone dust. If these are 

 thoroughly mixed with the soil, down to a depth of twenty 

 inches or two feet, by subsoiling, trench plowing, and cross 

 plowing, in connexion with repeated harrowings, fine trees 

 and excellent fruit may be confidently expected. A well 

 drained subsoil will of course be all-important, for all manure 

 is nearly lost on land kept soaked with water. 



SITUATION. 



After a suitable soil is obtained, hardy trees, such as the 

 apple, will usually succeed in almost any situation. But 

 with tender fruits, as the peach and apricot, the case is very 

 different. In many localities in the northern states, they are 

 soon destroyed by the severity of winters, and their cultiva- 

 tion is accordingly not attempted. In others, crops are not 



