72 FRUIT CULTURE. 



carried out far too vigorously and too deeply, thus cut- 

 ting away a great portion of fibre and smaller rootlets 

 which are the most valuable, and in the best position 

 of all for the production of good fruit. This digging 

 to too great a depth again checks and retards the growth 

 of the tree until it has had time to recover from the effects. 

 Sometimes, in the case of large orchards, the plough is 

 used in breaking up the turf. It answers the purpose in 

 a somewhat rough way, but there is the danger of going 

 too deeply, to the damage of the tree as above described, 

 and in using the plough it is also important to turn over 

 the whole of the ground between the trees. Therefore, 

 some amount of hand labour has to be resorted to as well, 

 and I doubt whether there is much saving by the use of 

 the plough in this case. 



Immediately on breaking up the ground, apply a 

 moderate dressing of fresh lime. This will be found 

 beneficial in many ways. It is not only a commodity 

 which is very necessary to the healthy growth of fruit 

 trees, especially of apples, but it helps to decompose the 

 vegetable matter in the freshly turned soil, thus preparing 

 it for the food of the tree, and also to destroy many grubs, 

 larval, and other insect pests. Soot may also be applied 

 in the same way with considerable benefit. It is a 

 valuable agent in producing colour in the fruit. If this 

 digging up and dressing with lime is performed in the 

 autumn, it will be well not to apply manure until the 

 spring-. This may be done by spreading over the surface 

 a good coating of farmyard or stable manure. But if 

 these are not easily obtainable, recourse may be had to 

 other valuable materials, such as shoddy, furriers' waste 

 clippings, and tanyard refuse. These all contain valuable 

 elements of fertility, and are most of them lasting man- 



