222 THE ORCHARD. [MARCH. 



Where the soil is naturally defective, such may be assisted by 

 the application of proper manures and composts ; applying them 

 to the whole ground, if but of moderate extent, or, if extensive, 

 to the place where each tree is to stand, for a space of eight or ten 

 feet in diameter, working it up with the natural soil. 



This trouble, however, in extensive Orchards, would be very ex- 

 pensive ; therefore, those who have choice of ground, should be 

 very careful to fix upon a proper soil, such as would require but 

 little assistance. 



Preparation of the Ground. 



The preparation of the ground, for the reception of fruit-trees, 

 is either by digging a spacious place for each tree, a general trench- 

 ing of the ground, or by ploughing it. If the latter kind of prepa- 

 ration is intended, and that the ground has been under pasture for 

 ome years ; you should plough the green sward 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 pre- 

 vent 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 rovr 

 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 recep- 

 tion 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 consequently prove of proportionate 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 

 expences, in the abundance of the succeding crops. If the ground 

 is suffered to be exhausted by successive crops of fruit, and grass or 

 grain, without refreshing it occasionally by manure, it will soon, 

 if not extremely fertile, become unfit to produce either. 



Tillage is favourable 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 grazing stock. Where circumstances will allow, it is test to 

 plant fruit-trees on newly broken-up ground, and to cultivate the 

 soil (refreshing 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. 



