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a half distant from the stake, or about eighteen feet diame- 

 ter. This is the mode of measuring usual among our work- 

 men ; the spade being that superior and efficient implement, 

 about three feet eight inches long, called the " Scotch spade," 

 with an iron handle at the upper end of the shaft, and not 

 the common garden spade, which is of little use, except for 

 stirring loose mould. 



Supposing the subsoil to be sand or gravel, and of a suffi- 

 cient depth to admit of the pit prescribed, the next thing to 

 be done is, to wheel away, from the side at which you are to 

 begin, as much earth as will close in the last trench, and to 

 lay it down for the purpose, on the opposite side of the pit. 

 The compost being of two kinds, clayey and peaty, as already 

 described, should be dashed on, or scattered like lime upon a 

 field, as the trenching proceeds, over the entire surface of the 

 work, so as to mix the whole in the completest manner; and 

 when the trench is closed in at the further side, it should lie 

 for a twelvemonth, as before stated. 



Supposing, on the other hand, that the soil be deficient in 

 the competent depth (a thing which has unfortunately too 

 often happened at this place,) there is no remedy but to sup- 

 ply the want with earth brought from some other quarter. A 

 few cart-loads are all, that in most instances are required ; and 

 a little practice will teach the planter to procure it, from the 

 cleanings of drains or ditches, from natural hollows in woods, 

 and such like places, where calcareous earth is sure to be col- 

 lected. The best way is, to take it out in strips or lines of 

 only one spit wide, and of the same depth ; by which means, 

 no material injury will be done to the ground by the opera- 

 tion. 



In supplying such earth, let it be remembered that rich 

 mould is not essentially necessary, and that soil even of a 

 very inferior quality will answer the purpose. Every one 

 must have observed the readiness with which the roots of 

 trees find their way into a mound of earth of any quality 



