TREATMENT OP FRUIT TREES. 317 



they must have been phmted there, or not planted at all. 

 There are soils and situations, however, which are so bare, 

 broken, and rocky, as to be unfit for cultivation ; if such 

 are planted as orchards, it will be unreasonable to expect 

 so heavy, or so fine crops of fruit as where judicious cul- 

 ture can be applied. 



Having settled the question of situation, that of soil 

 ensues as a matter of considerable importance ; for no one 

 can doubt that the permanency and success of the orchard 

 will depend ver}^ much upon wdiether the trees find suffi- 

 cient and proper aliment from which to elaborate their 

 desired products. In this particular, however, we are 

 relieved from any great anxiety, by observing that the 

 apple-tree thrives in almost every soil that contains the 

 usual mixture of materials that is common to all reason- 

 ably fertile land : certain definite elements are, however, 

 necessary; among these are potash, and phosphate of 

 lime, which enter largely into the constitution of the 

 plant and its products, and should exist in the soil, or 

 they must be applied artificially. 



Too little attention is paid to the preparation of the 

 land ; and it is believed, and has been fally demonstrated, 

 that a thorough tillage before planting is very conducive 

 to success. And for three or four years after planting, 

 the ground should be kept in tillage, either with or with- 

 out root-crops, avoiding the introduction of cereals, for 

 the double purpose of preventing the consequent abstrac- 

 tion of elements that will be needed by the future crops 

 of apples, and also, that the constant culture of the soil by 

 tillage may not be interrupted. 



After' the second or third year of tillage-crops among 

 the young trees, which will have encouraged them to 

 make a vigorous growth, some orchardists will find it 

 advantageous to sow a green crop, such as buckwheat, 

 oats, or peas, to be pastured off by hogs, before they ripen. 



