98 



Where the sub-soil is sand or gravel, top- 

 dressing with a little clay and a generous 

 quantity of well-rotted manure, is the best 

 treatment. 



When the whole garden or field cannot be 

 worked over, in this way, a large proportion 

 of the benefit may be derived, from preparing 

 a place six to twelve feet in diameter, around 

 and under each tree according to its size. 



Low, flat land, spongey or peaty soils, par- 

 ticularly in our cold climate, are very unfavor- 

 able to the growth of fruit. Something, 

 however, may be accomplished, even in such 

 locations, by setting the trees quite high, and 

 placing under them in the holes a drainage of 

 small stones and gravel ; and by mixing with 

 the soil a quantity of sand, so as to diminish 

 the amount of moisture, and to increase the 

 warmth which the roots may need to enjoy. 



General Manure for Fruit Trees. The 

 best manure for fruit trees in general, is 

 composed of about equal parts of meadow 

 mud, muck, or peaty earth, and common 

 stable manure. A small quantity of wood 

 ashes, say four bushels to a cart-load of 

 manure, and charcoal dust in about the same 

 ratio, may be intermixed with this composi- 



