Od.] The Fruit Garden. 459 



level : and hi the Tpring, when you want to Tow or plant 

 it, the ridges are foon levelled down. 



The method of ridging or trenching ground is this : 



Let the trenches be marked out two feet and a half 

 wide, and beginning at one end of the piece, open a 

 trench the above width, and one fpade and a fliovelling 

 deep : let the earth of this trench be carried to the other 

 ■end, or to that part where you intend to finifh or fill up 

 the laft trench. 



The firil trench being thus Opened, then proceed to 

 mark out another ; pare off and throw the top of it, with 

 ^11 v;'eeds and rubbilh thereon, into the bottom of the 

 {irfl ; then dig this fecond trench, turning the earth into 

 the open trench, throvv^ing it up ridge wife, as above- 

 mentioned ; and when you have dug to the end of the 

 trench, fliOA'el up the crumbs or loofe earth at bottom, 

 throwing it up upon the other ; or double dig it, that is, 

 Vv'Tthout fliovelling tip the crumbs, dig the trench an- 

 other fpade deep, if the depth of gcod foil admits, call- 

 ing the earth upon that of the firll fpit;" then proceed to 

 a tliird trench, and pare and dig it as before j and fo 

 proceed with every trench to the end. 



Such compartments of ground as are occafionally to be 

 dunged, fhould previoufly have the dung fpread evenly 

 over the furface, and then fliould be equally buried in 

 the bottom of each trench as you advance in the digging. 



The Fruit Garden. 



Gathering Winter Pears and Jpples, 



■'I'S'^INTER pears and apples fliould in general be 

 \'V gathered this month. Some will be ft to take 

 down the beginning of the month, others will not be 

 ready before the middle, or towards the latter end. 



To know when the fruits have had their full growth, 

 you fliould try feveral of them in different parts of the 

 tree, by turning them gently upward; if they quit the 

 tree eafily it is time to gather them. 



But none of the more delicate eating pears fliould be 



permitted to hang longer on the trees than the middle 



of this month, efpecially if the nights are inclinable to 



X 2 froit; 



