58 CULTURE AND 



strong, and most agreeable to the eye. Take a larg 

 post, and slit it with a saw, and place the parts flat- 

 way with the faces to the plant, one on each side of 

 it, and two feet apart, and nail your rails upon the edg- 

 es of the posts." 



It seems to be a well-founded opinion that young 

 apple trees will not flourish advantageously if planted 

 on the site of an old orchard, or near the place where 

 old trees have died. William Coxe> esquire, of New- 

 Jersey, the most experienced orchardist in the United 

 States, has experimented with the view of ascertain- 

 ing this fact ; and the result has demonstrated the 

 correctness of it in the clearest manner. He planted 

 young trees in the middle space between the old rows, 

 and sometimes near the stumps of old trees, which 

 had been for many years cut down and decayed ; he 

 removed the old soil in digging the holes, and replac- 

 ed it with rich earth mixed with manure, and gave to 

 his trees all the advantage of high cultivation, yet 

 they were manifestly inferiour in point of growth and 

 vigour to those which were planted at the same season 

 in his adjoining lots. 



Having progressed thus far, the husbandman is now 

 presented with a valuable orchard, planted and ar- 

 ranged in complete systematic!? order ; and it may, if 

 he please, be considered as the work of his own hands, 

 from which he may anticipate high expectations of 

 profit and amusement. Thus the value of a farm is 

 greatly augmented, and the proprietor enjoys the sat- 

 isfaction of bequeathing a rich inheritance to future 

 generations. But his labour is not yet at an end ; it 

 xvill still require his fostering care, and unremitted at- 

 tention. 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 



