OP FRUIT TREES. 55 



labour is not yet at an end; it will still require his 

 fostering care, and unremitted attention. In vain 

 do we plant, labour, and toil, if through neglect in 

 a single point, we suffer our harvest to be wrested 

 from our hands. Nor are we less culpable if we 

 suffer a young orchard to be destroyed by the de- 

 predations of cattle, the annoyance of insects, and 

 the corroding canker, without applying the appro- 

 priate remedies. We suppose, then, of course, 

 that the orchard is properly enclosed by a strong 

 and close fence. We next proceed to cultivate the 

 soil beneath, and between the trees, until they ar- 

 rive at their complete size, as the quality, excel- 

 lence, and maturity of the fruit will, in a great mea- 

 sure, depend upon its proper culture. This pro- 

 cess may be performed either with the plough, if 

 due care be taken not to injure the roots, or with 

 the spade around the trunks, and by these means 

 both the fertility and health of the trees are pro- 

 moted, and the soil itself improved for the purpose 

 of raising potatoes, turnips, or other vegetables, 

 which do not tend too much to impoverish the 

 land. If, however, it is intended to cultivate clo- 

 ver, or other meadow grass for mowing, still it 

 will be advisable to reserve a circuit round each 

 tree, as extensive as the roots, to be kept open by 

 tillage, that by frequent hoeing the fertilizing pro- 

 perties of rain, air, and dew, may more easily pene- 

 trate into the earth, and produce beneficial effects 

 on the roots. The opinion prevails among some 

 farmers, that, clover has a tendency to retard the 

 growth of fruit trees. If this be true of clover 

 more than of any other grass, it may probably be 

 explained from its luxuriant foliage secluding the 

 influence of warmth, air, and light, from their 

 roots. Mr. Kenrick, of Newton, observes, that he 

 has found herds grass the most injurious to his 

 trees* 





