THE ORCHARD BEAUTIFUL. 379 



effects of drought. Not only the tree roots want the water, but the 

 roots of the competing grass suck the moisture out of the soil. The 

 competition of the grass could be put an end to at once, and the trees 

 very much nourished, by the use of any easily found mulching from 

 materials which are often abundant in a country place. Among the 

 best of these, where plentiful, is the common Furze, if cut down in 

 spring and placed over the ground round the base of young or poor 

 orchard trees. It prevents the grass from robbing the trees and lets 

 the water fall through to the ground, helping to keep it there, too, by pre- 

 venting direct evaporation ; moreover, the small leaves falling off nourish 

 the ground. So again the sweepings of drives and of farm or garden 

 yards are useful, and also any small faggots often allowed to rot in 

 the woods after the underwood is cleared. They fetch such a low 

 price that they are not worth selling, but if placed round the roots of 

 fruit trees they often do good. Then also there are the weeds and 

 refuse of gardens of all kinds which form detestable rubbish heaps 

 that would be much better abolished, and all cleanings from the garden 

 placed directly over the roots of young poor orchard trees. 



Even rank weeds, which swarm about yards and shrubberies, would 

 help, and one of the best ways to weaken them and help towards 

 their destruction is by mowing them down in the pride of their 

 growth in the middle of summer nettles and docks, as the case may 

 be and instead of burning them or taking them to the rubbish heap, 

 use them over the tree roots. Even the weeds and long grass grow- 

 ing round the base of the trees, if mown and left on the ground, will 

 make a difference in the growth and health of fruit trees. Such care 

 is all the more needed if our orchard is upon poor or shaly soils in the 

 southern or home counties, where the rainfall is less than in the western 

 counties or in Ireland or Scotland : in naturally rich and deep soil we 

 do not need it. 



FENCING THE ORCHARD BEAUTIFUL. All fences should be of 

 living things at once the most enduring, effective, and in the end the 

 best. We see the hideous result of the ironmonger's fence in marring 

 the foregrounds of many landscape pictures. Holly, Quick, or Cock- 

 spur Thorn, with a sprinkling of Sloe or Bullace here and there, give 

 us the best orchard fence ; once well made, far easier to keep up than 

 the iron fence. Yew is a danger, and a Yew hedge should never be 

 planted where animals come near as they usually do, the orchard, and 

 if the Yew comes by itself, as it often will, 't should be cut clean out 

 and burnt as soon as cut down. Holly is the best evergreen orchard 

 fence for our country, and we should be careful about getting the 

 plants direct from a good nursery clean seedling plants not much 

 over a yard high. The best time to plant Hollies is in May if growing 

 in the place, but on light soil plant in autumn ; all the more need to 



