54 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



1802 3, the advantage was considerably in favour of 

 those put down in the spring. Some, planted in au- 

 tumn, were from a nursery near the city, and nearly 

 all died ; another parcel, from the excellent nursery 

 of Mr, Prince, of Flushing, Long- Island, arrived late 

 in -April, and all survived. There was no reason to 

 suspect any difference in the soil, or the care with 

 which both parcels were planted. E. Preble, esquire, 

 of Boston, is decided in preferring autumn to spring, 

 for planting apple tress, as the ground will settle 

 round the roots before frost, and the trees prepared 

 to shoot in the spring, aided by the rains which pre- 

 vail at that season. If planted in spring, he observes, 

 the drought and heat of summer will injure, if not 

 destroy them, before the roots find their place. He 

 is in the practice of transplanting them as soon as the 

 foliage is off in autumn, and farmers have more leis- 

 ure at that season of the year. 



PREPARATION OF THE LAND, AND PLANTING. 



When the ground is in pasture, it should be plough- 

 ed to a considerable depth, and well summer fallowed, 

 till the grass be killed. But, if trenching should be 

 preferred, the spade must be carried to the full depth 

 of the soil ; and if it be gravelly, a considerable por- 

 tion of this should be removed, and its place supplied 

 by a due quantity of rich mould. The quality of the 

 soil should approach as nearly as possible to that of 

 the nursery, in which the trees were reared. If it be 

 poorer, the trees will certainly be impeded in their 

 growth. The trenches should be well dug, about five 

 or six feet wide, that the holes to receive the roots 

 may be made sufficiently large. Much of the future 

 prosperity of the orchard depends upon a judicious 

 selection of the trees. Mr. Burknal advises, that they 

 be chosen the year before they are intended to be 



