80 The Principles of Fruit-growing 



be applied, but it is also a direct means of conserving 

 moisture and of hastening chemical activities. 



The soil is a vast storehouse of plant-food, and the first 

 effort of the husbandman should be to make this store 

 available to plants. In "An Essay for Advancement of 

 Husbandry-Learning," published in 1651 in London, 

 Samuel Hartlib wrote : "Men take him for a foole or a mad 



FIG. 14. Clean tillage in a Michigan peach orchard. 



man that, having store of wealth in his trunck, doth yet 

 complain of want. What though the key be rusty for want 

 of use? 'tis easier to get that scoured, then to obtaine 

 such another treasure. And surely I may upon most sure 

 grounds say, that our Native Countrey, hath in its bowels 

 an (even almost) infinite, and inexhaustible treasure; much 

 of which hath long laine hid, and is but new begun to be 

 discovered. It may seem a large boast or meer Hyperbole 

 to say, we enjoy not, know not, use not, the one-tenth 

 part of that plenty or wealth & happinesse, that our 



