PEEPAEATION OF GROUND FOR NURSERY. 39 



to end at these furrows. The head rows afford space for 

 turning the horse in cultivating the .nursery. They may 

 be each occupied with a row of potatoes, if it is desired 

 to till every inch of ground. The end of the tree rows 

 should not extend close to the fence, as the young trees 

 will certainly be injured by turning in the cultivation, and 

 the ground will not be kept so clean. When this is done, 

 run the row as straight as practicable north and south, 

 and at the distance of three and a half to four feet apart. 

 The distance varies according as the character of the soil 

 and climate affect the growth of the trees. In a rich 

 southern soil, the greater distance will be none too much; 

 while in the North, especially if the soil is thin, the less 

 will be quite sufficient. The depth of the furrow should 

 not be less than an inch and a half, nor more than two 

 and a half inches. 



Instead of the plow, a peculiar implement, a sort of 

 sledge, is sometimes used, and with advantage. It is 

 made by taking two pieces of oak plank, each four or five 

 feet long, twelve inches wide, and two thick. The front 

 ends are rounded off like a runner for a water-sled. The 

 runners are then connected, sled-like, by two cross-bars, 

 mortised and fastened into them, as in fig. 2. The distance 

 apart is the distance desire 1 for the rows, as above describ- 

 ed. With this implement two rows instead of one can be 

 made at the same time. Besides this, the depth of the 

 rows as well as the distance apart will be more uniform. 

 Altogether, it is much preferable, while the cost of mak- 

 ing one is insignificant. Any intelligent farm hand can 

 construct one. It may also be enlarged so as to mark 

 three, or even more, rows, by simply adding a runner for 

 every additional row desired, and one, two, o* three borseg 

 may be used to drag it. 



