21 FRUIT CULTURE. 



on digging to the subsoil you find it porous and per- 

 forated by Avorms, you may conclude that there is sufficient 

 circulation of water and air through it. If, on the other 

 hand, you find the soil close and retentive, with no 

 worm-holes, you may conclude that the land ought to 

 be drained. Pipe-draining is more expensive than the 

 old plan of straw or bushes, but will be found to well 

 repay the extra outlay in the long run. Let me here 

 emphasize the importance of draining. If the land be 

 water-logged, it is impossible for fruit trees to thrive and 

 maintain a healthy condition. They will become mossy 

 and covered with long grey lichen, and subject to canker 

 and many other diseases, and instead of producing good 

 profitable crops, will become so stunted and unhealthy 

 that what fruit is produced will be comparatively worth- 

 less. 



The operation of draining is so well understood that 

 there is no need here to describe it in detail, but in set- 

 ting out the drain it is always well to mark out the in- 

 tended direction df the rows of trees before commencing, 

 and then to place the drains midway between the rows 

 of standard trees. They are then at the farthest distance 

 possible from the roots of the most permanent trees, and 

 should they at any time require attention, they may be 

 opened without damage to the trees. 



The next consideration is the breaking up of the land. 

 If it has been used only for ordinary husbandry, it should 

 in the first place be broken up to a greater depth than 

 has hitherto been the case. The best means of accom- 

 plishing this would have to be considered and determined 

 according to the extent and local conditions. If the 

 area is but small, it might be best to break it up by 

 hand. But if sufficiently large and op3u, it may be done 



