196 APPLE TREE. 



ling- ag-e, have grown — in filling up vacancies in growing 

 orcliards, the deterioration of soil produced by the 

 growth of a tree lor tiiteen or twenty years, cannot be 

 sufficient to injure one replanted in the sanie spot — on 

 the contrary, the digging deep, and manuring the earth 

 for the first tree, olten renders the spot mere eligible 

 for a second, or third. 



PioKgking. The looser the ground is kept for the 

 first, and indeed lor the several succeeding years, pro- 

 vided the plough does not go so deep as to hurt the 

 roots, the more certain and the more vigorous will be 

 the growth of the orchard. All fallow crops are pre- 

 ferable to oats or barley ; and these are more favour- 

 able than winter grain : buckwheat is one of the best 

 crops. Clover or any other deeply rooted grass, is con- 

 sidered injurious, unless dressed with plaster, or fed off 

 when young. In cultivating an orchard, regard should 

 he had to such a rotation of crops, and manuring, as will 

 prevent the ground from being impoverished. Where 

 grass or grain are cultivated, says Mr. Coxe^ the ground 

 should he kept open by diging the earth about three 

 f&et round each tree : A man will dig round a hundred 

 trees in a day ; or four or five furrows can be ploughed 

 on each side nf a row. When the shade of the trees, 

 and the extension of their roots, impede the growth of 

 crops ; and the roots and bark are liable to be injured 

 by ploughing, it had better be discontinued. The grass^ 

 however, must be kept away by digging round the trees, 

 and suitable manures applied. Let them be kept as 

 pastures for calves and swine. Neat cattle must not be 

 admilted, unless they are guarded in such a way as to 

 prevent their eating the lower branches, or rubbing 

 against them. 



Manuring.. It has been found by experience, that 

 apples, pears, peaches, oic. attain to their highest per- 

 fection only when the soil about the roots is kept open, 

 and frequently manured. Among various substances 

 wl ich have been found suitable manures for trees, the 

 following may be enumerated : — horns, hoofs, bones, 

 where reduced to fragments or powder, leather, shells, 

 hair, wool, woollen rags, tanner's bark, refuse flax, 

 sea weed, swamp or pond mud, and ashes, chip or 

 compost manure, soap-suds, the liquid substance whicli 



