Cultivation of the Soil. 75 



toes, ruta-bagas, beets, carrots, beans, and all low-hoed crops. In- 

 dian corn, though a hoed crop, is of too tall a growth, shading young 

 trees too much by its formidable stalks. All sown crops are to be 

 avoided, and grass is still worse. Meadows are ruinous. 



A chief reason of the fatal effects of sown crops, is the impossi- 

 bility of mellowing the ground by repeated cultivation. For this 

 reason, a low crop of peas has been found much worse than a heavy 

 growth of Indian corn. 



Renovating Old Trees. When old trees become feeble, there is no 

 better way of imparting to them vigor than by manuring. Instead 

 of adopting the more common practice of digging a circular trench 

 around them and filling this with manure, the operation may be per- 

 formed in a more perfect and efficient manner by digging narrow 

 radiating trenches from within a few feet of the trunk, directly from 

 it this will prevent cutting many of the roots. The annexed dia- 

 gram (Fig. 93) will show the position of these trenches. These may 

 then be filled with a compost, made of 

 turf, stable manure, ashes, and per- 

 haps a little bone manure the turf 

 to be the chief constituent, say one- 

 half or two-thirds and the ashes 

 say one-thirtieth. The bone ma- 

 nure is not essential, as its constitu- 

 ent parts are in common manure in 

 small quantities. If this is done 

 in autumn, the roots will be pre- 

 pared to penetrate it early in spring, 

 and if the tree is not past reco- 

 very, it may make a new growth. 

 The roots probably reach as far 

 each way as the height of the tree, and the trenches should extend 

 about the same distance. They need not be cut very near the tree, 

 as the roots are all large there, and would be more likely to be 

 injured and would be little benefited. The trenches should be only 

 the width of a spade, and be from two to four feet apart. 



Old apple orchards always grow and bear best when kept under 

 cultivation. If the soil is, however, naturally or artificially fertile, 

 they succeed well in grass continually grazed short by sheep and 

 swine. These animals are useful in devouring the insects of the 

 fallen fruit, and assist in manuring the surface. An annual autumn 

 application of yard or stable manure, with a small portion of ashes 

 or, in the absence of ashes, of lime will commonly be useful. If 



