Soil, Manures, Situation, and Enclosures. 45 



cot-tree is injured by too rich a cultivation, more than a hundred 

 suffer by diminished growth from neglect. 



Clayey and light soils in some cases require opposite management. 

 The former, for instance, is much benefited by the admixture of 

 chip-dirt, which renders it looser, lighter, and more retentive of 

 moisture. But on light soils the effect is not so beneficial, and is 

 sometimes positively injurious. 



Peaty and spongy soils are particularly unfitted for tender fruits. 

 They become very warm by day, and radiate the heat rapidly in clear 

 frosty nights ; hence, peaches and apricots generally perish when 

 growing on them, the heat of the sun promoting a rapid succulent 

 growth, which is the more easily destroyed by the succeeding inten- 

 sity of cold. 



MANURES. 



Nothing for general use is equal to stable manure, and in ordinary 

 cases it will be found to give the most uniform and satisfactory 

 results more especially if it is made the basis of a compost with 

 peat, muck, or turf from old pastures, with a tenth or a fifteenth of 

 leached ashes, and half that of bone-dust. If these are thoroughly 

 mixed with the soil down to a depth of a foot or more, by subsoiling, 

 trench-ploughing, and cross-ploughing, in connexion with repeated 

 harrowings, fine trees and excellent fruit may be confidently 

 expected even on soils of naturally moderate fertility. Many parts 



Fig. 54. Draining orchard*. 



of the Western States possess a soil quite rich enough, provided 

 good cultivation is given. A well drained subsoil is of course all- 

 important, for all manure is nearly lost on land kept soaked with 



