256 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the producing energy of trees, however well cared for, and we 

 must resort to planting 



YOUNG ORCHARDS. 



Where shall we plant them is the first question. We answer 

 briefly, in a good soil and a sheltered situation. The apple is 

 hardy, has a wonderful power of adapting itself to any soil and 

 situation, is never " staky," but puts forth its best energies 

 wherever planted. We have admired sometimes seeing the 

 seedling apple-trees struggling for existence among the rocks, 

 or by the side of the road, browsed upon by the straying cattle, 

 but never saying " die." It is a mistake, however, to suppose 

 that the apple has no choice of location. There is a congenial 

 home for the apple as well as for man. Whatever soil will pro- 

 duce a good crop of corn, will also produce a good crop of 

 apples ; but as the roots of trees penetrate much more deeply 

 than those of corn, it will generally be found expedient to 

 underdrain most* of our sites for the orchard, certainly if the 

 subsoil is of a cold, clayey nature. We were so unfortunate, 

 some twenty years since, as to have a railroad laid out through 

 a young orchard, just coming into bearing condition. The soil 

 was of a gravelly nature, and on removing the trees and espec- 

 ially on removing the soil for the use of the road, we were 

 surprised to see the depth to which the roots ran. They were 

 luxuriating at the depth of six and eight feet. In a clay soil 

 they might not have penetrated so deeply, but they should 

 certainly have the liberty of wandering whither they please. 

 We have read of a Pennsylvania farmer placing a flat stone 

 under his apple-trees, in order to keep the roots near the rich 

 surface soil, but this is not in accordance with " the freedom of 

 the will," and we doubt not, when the roots reached the 

 extremity of the stone, they turned downward in search of 

 moisture and nourishment. Certainly here in New England 

 we have little occasion for planting stones when we plant our 

 apple-trees, but have need rather to remove every obstruction 

 to the free wandering of the roots. There is very little of our 

 New England soil that will not be benefited by a liberal applica- 

 tion of manure, before an orchard is planted upon it. Some of 

 our western fruit-growers complain that their soil is so rich 

 naturally, that their trees luxuriate in a growth of wood and 



