THE FllUlT GARDEN. 291 



which is retentive of water, or which has a hard sub- 

 soil, is fit for a fruit-garden. The soil should be 

 permeable to the depth of two and a half or three 

 feet, so that the tender fibres of the roots may pen- 

 etrate i'i easily, and seek sustenance in all directions, 

 without coming in contact with stagnant water, sour 

 earth, or hardpan. A rich, deep loam is the best for 

 fruit : not too light or sandy, but retaining sufficient 

 moisture for the use of the tree. If the soil is nat- 

 urally too hard or stiff, it must be dug to a sufficient 

 depth and mixed with vegetable mould ; and if in- 

 clining to wet, it must first of all be effectually drain- 

 ed. Unless this is done, all efforts to produce good 

 fruit will be unavailing. The trees will flourish but 

 a short time ; the influence of the bad soil below 

 will soon show itself in the mossy trunks, the stunt- 

 ed branches, and the small, inferior fruit produced, 

 and these symptoms in any orchard will indicate 

 the difficulty, and the mode of remedying it. To 

 make the soil dry, deep, and rich is the first thing to 

 be attended to in a fruit-garden. 



Exposure is another thing that cannot be safely 

 overlooked in commencing an orchard. The princi- 

 pal enemy to fruit in the United States is the cold, 

 northeast storms which frequently occur about the 

 time of blossoming, and which act with much more 

 pernicious effect on fruit-trees unprotected and fully 

 exposed to their force, than on those partially or 

 wholly sheltered. Close, confined situations must, 

 however, be avoided, as, without the sun and a free 

 circulation of air, healthy trees and fine fruit cannot 

 be expected. A southern exposure is to be preferred 

 where it can be had without incurring other disad- 

 vantages. A position open to the south, and pro- 

 tected on the north by a belt of woodland, or planted- 

 out forest-trees, will, where other things are favour- 

 able, rarely fail of giving good fruit, and escape the 

 bhghts which so often destroy the hopes of fruit 

 from orchards in. unprotected situations. A close 

 range of evergr-?on trees has been found of essential 



