ORCHARDS. Ill 



trees." Why ? "What would they think of a man who should 

 plant a'corn-field in the grass ? How much of the sun, and air, 

 and rain ; how much nutriment from the earth, that is acted on 

 and fertilized by the sun, and air^ and rain, would the roots of 

 the corn or the trees get ? 



Thirdly. The trees must not only be fed, but every tree must 

 have its appropriate nourishment. Here the law of specifics, 

 which is just beginning to receive the attention of scientific 

 cultivators, comes in play. Thus it is found that one kind of 

 nourishment conduces to the growth of foliage and wood, 

 another tends to fruit; and, while one peculiar plant or tree 

 requires one peculiar element for its sustenance, another de- 

 mands a far different element. For example : lime is a great 

 absorbent of acids, and thus materially assists in the elabora- 

 tion of the juices of fruits ; this is particularly observable in 

 the apple tree, the bark of which is half made up of the lime, 

 which it has thus thrown out of its circulation as useless, after 

 it has employed it in its vegetable economy. To all trees? 

 doubtless, a vegetable substratum of soil is necessary, composed 

 of decayed wood, leaves, — like pond mud, peat earth, heath 

 moulds, — but with this alone, without ammonia, or the sulphates 

 and phosphates, or lime, to absorb and retain these, the fruit 

 may be large and perhaps fine, but it will often be rough, 

 coarse, and astringent on the one hand, or flat and tasteless on 

 the other. A pear or apple, in cold clay soil, for example, is 

 found to be a very different thing from what it is in a warm^ 

 loam, or sandy land. And, although the science of specifics is 

 now in its infancy, and it may be difficult for some accomplished 

 cultivators even to decide in regard to the best soil and culture 

 for various and different plants and trees, yet it will, we think, 

 be safe to say — 1st. That wood ashes, containing, as they do, 

 all the elements necessary to their growth, save carbon, that is 

 supplied by the air, is a specific for all trees and woods. 2d. 

 That lime, whether in the form of marl, shell, plaster, or stone 

 lime, is a specific for apple trees; and that apples are fairest 

 and largest grown in a calcareous soil. 3d. That phosphates, in 

 the form of bones, (wjiich are principally made up of phosphate 

 of lime,) mineral, or rock phosphate of lime, or prepared super- 

 phosphate, are specifics for pears and grapes. 4th. That 



