MARCH] THE ORCHARD. 243 



necessary, with more convenience ; and if on the top of all is laid 

 some inverted turf, and stones over this, to the width of the holes, 

 forming it into a sort of circular bank, it will support the tree, and 

 guard the roots from powerful heat, drought and parching winds; 

 observing that each tree stands perfectly upright, and that they 

 range exactly in their proper rows. 



Should the earth be rather shallow, so that you cannot cover the 

 roots a sufficient depth with good soil, you must have some hauled 

 for that purpose to where each tree is to be planted, or collected to 

 such places, from the general surface, and bank the roots around 

 therewith; for there is no alternative between planting them in the 

 good soil, where their roots can take a wide extended horizontal 

 direction, and lie within the reach of the genial influence of heat, 

 rain, dew and air, and that of an untimely end if planted too deep. 



When you desire to remove large trees of any kind, the best 

 method will be to open trenches about their roots, immediately pre- 

 vious to the setting in of the frosts, leaving as much earth around 

 them as you think can be conveniently moved or carried with the 

 trees, cutting at a proper distance the large wide-spreading roots, 

 and leaving only as many uncut as are sufficient to prevent their 

 being blown down ; when you find the earth sufficiently bound by 

 the frost, work in under, and take them up with the balls, place 

 them on a sled, and so carry them to their place of destination ; pre- 

 vious to planting, smooth all the wounded parts, and prune or thin 

 their tops in proportion to their loss of roots. 



When a defect in an old orchard is to be supplied, it will be ne- 

 cessary to take away the earth where the old tree stood to a proper 

 depth, and to the extent of a circle of ten feet in diameter, which fill 

 up with fresh earth previous to planting ; for it seldom happens, 

 without this management, that young trees thrive, when planted 

 where old disordered ones stood. 



If the orchard is much exposed to winds, it will be proper to stake 

 the new planted trees, to support them in their proper positions, and 

 secure them from being rocked to and fro thereby, which would 

 greatly retard their rooting placing one or two strong tall stakes to 

 each tree ; but in large trees, the most effectual method is to have 

 three stakes to each, placed in a triangle, meeting at top near the 

 head of the tree, wrapping a hay-band around that part of the stem, 

 to prevent its being barked by the stakes or ties ; then tie the stakes 

 at top close to the tree, with some proper bandage, bringing it close 

 about the stem and stakes together, over the hay-wrapping, to secure 

 the tree firmly in an erect posture. 



If your young orchard is laid down with grass, no cattle should 

 be turned into it to graze at large ; unless each tree is previously well 

 secured with posts and railing, otherwise they will bark the trees, to 

 their very great injury, and eat off the tops of such of their young 

 shoots as they can reach ; nor should large cattle be turned into any 

 orchards where the branches of the trees are yet low and within their 

 reach. 



Where great quantities of fruit are wanted, large avenues of apple, 

 pear, peach, and cherry trees, &c., may be extended across neighbor- 



