40 FRUIT-GARDENING. 



IMPROVING SOILS FOR FRUIT-TREES. 



It is well known to most cultivators that exposure of soils 

 to the atmosphere greatly improves them, as is experienced by 

 ridging and trenching. Where the soil is stiff and stubborn, 

 small gravel, sand, coal-ashes, lime, light animal and vegetable 

 manure, and other light composts, are very appropriate sub- 

 stances to be applied, and will, if carefully managed and well 

 worked into the ground, soon bring it into a proper condition 

 for most purposes. 



Previous to laying out an orchard or fruit-garden, the soil 

 should be manured and pulverized to a great depth. It should 

 be made sweet, that the nutriment which the roots receive 

 may be wholesome ; free, that they may be at full liberty to 

 range in quest of it ; and rich, that there may be no defect in 

 food. 



If orchards are made from meadows or pasture lands, the 

 ground should be improved as much as possible by manuring, 

 trenching, ploughing, etc?. If this is not done to its full extent, 

 it should be done in strips of at least six feet in width along 

 where the fruit-trees are to be planted, and at the time of 

 planting let the holes be dug somewhat larger than is sufficient 

 to admit the roots in their natural position, and of sufficient 

 depth to allow of a foot of rich and well-pulverized mould to 

 be thrown in before the trees are planted. 



HOW TO TRANSPLANT TREES. 



In transplanting trees, they should not be placed more than 

 an inch or two deeper than they were in the nursery-bed, and 

 the earth intended for filling in should be enriched and well 

 pulverized by mixing in some good old manure ; and if any 



