CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL. 



95 



should have the best piece of land on the farm, so long as 

 clean, thrifty trees, loaded with fair, large, and high- 

 flavored fruit, are to be preferred to light crops of what is 

 half grown and distorted, with deficient flavor; with the 

 addi'ional diffe fence that the former ma}^ be brought into 

 full bearing in one-third of the time required for the latter. 



Note. In connexion with the cultivation of the soil, the 

 restoration of trees of feeble growth will be much hastened, 

 if the trunk and principal branches are scrubbed several 

 times in a season, with a brush dipped in soap-suds, first 

 scraping the bark, should it be rough or mossy. 



