210 THE ORCHARD. [MARCH 



years, you should plough the greensward the spring before you plant 

 the trees, and also two or three times in the course of the summer 

 following, to rot the sward, pulverize the earth, and to prevent the 

 growth of weeds. 



Early in October you should plough it again very deep, running 

 the plough twice in each furrow, in order to make it deep and loose 

 for the roots of the trees ; which should be planted therein in the 

 course of the same or next month; but if the soil be moist, March 

 will be a much better season. 



Or you may plough as above, eight or ten feet wide for each row 

 of trees, leaving the remainder of the ground untouched. 



In planting orchards on a grass ground, in very good soil, you may 

 dig a hole for each tree capacious enough for the easy reception of all 

 the roots, loosening the bottom well without disturbing any other 

 part of the ground; but when it is trenched either wholly, or some 

 considerable width along the place of each row of trees, it will con- 

 sequently prove of disproportionate advantage. 



Your orchard should get a good dressing of manure, once in two 

 or three years, whether under crops of grain, or grass ; this will prove 

 very serviceable to the trees, and also more than repay your expenses 

 in the abundance of the succeeding crops. If the ground is suffered 

 to be exhausted by successive crops of fruit and. grass, or grain with- 

 out refreshing it occasionally by manure it will soon, if not extremely 

 fertile, become unfit to produce either.* 



Tillage is favorable to the growth of young trees ; whereas in grass- 

 ground their progress is comparatively slow for want of the earth 

 being stirred about their roots, and being frequently injured by graz- 

 ing stock. Where circumstances will allow it is best to plant fruit- 

 trees on newly broken-up ground, and to cultivate the soil (refresh- 

 ing it with manure as often as necessary), until the trees are well 

 grown; then to lay it down to grass; for after that period the shade 

 of the trees would do less injury to it than to any other crop; and 

 besides, the pending boughs would render tillage inconvenient. 



CHOICE OF TREES, ETC. 



If not provided with trees in your own nursery, you must apply 

 to some public nursery-man of integrity, who will not deceive you in 

 the varieties of the kinds wanted : observe in the first place that the 

 trees are healthy and fresh looking, without any blemishes or appear- 

 ance of canker or worms in the bark; that they have been raised at 

 proper distances, and not drawn up spindling ; that their heads are 

 well formed and well furnished; that their stems are stout, propor- 

 tionate to their heads, straight, clean, free from suckers, and that 

 they are not more than from two to four years old from the bud or 

 graft, and that all have been worked, that is, budded or grafted, for 

 otherwise, there would be no certainty of having good fruit, and 

 besides, there would be much longer coming into bearing. 



* There is little doubt but this want of nourishment is a primary cause 

 of the supposed wearing out of many, otherwise, valuable orchards. 



