302 ^ THE ORCHARD. 



well. If the bottom be clay, the roots should be 

 cut-in once in four years, to prevent them from 

 penetrating the clay, which would greatly injure 

 the trees. The soil sliould be from two to three 

 feet deep ; before planting the trees, it should be 

 trenched two spits deep, and ten feet broad where 

 the rows are to be planted, and a spit below 

 loosened, unless it be clay, which should be 

 trodden down. If it be pasture ground, it should 

 be ploughed, and well summer-fallowed, till the 

 grass be killed : otherwise, when it is laid in the 

 bottom in trenching, which it generally is, it will 

 be very apt to breed grubs, which will do much 

 mischief. 



Some only dig holes large enough to receive the 

 roots, especially in grass ground which is to be 

 continued so. Others prepare the ground by deep 

 ploughing, if the orchard is to be of great extent. 

 The sward, if pasture, should be ploughed in some 

 time in Spring : give it a good summer fallow, in 

 ploughing it two or three times, which will rot the 

 turf. A fortnight or three weeks before planting, 

 give the ground a good deep ploughing, to pre- 

 pare it for the reception of the trees. The best 

 time for planting on a dry soil is in October; 

 but if wet, the latter end of February, or the 

 month of March, will be a fitter season. 



In planting, endeavour to suit the trees as well 

 as possible to the soil, and to plant them at proper 

 distances from each other ; which may be from 

 forty to eighty feet, according to the size of the 



