70 



lately necessary for their protection in times of long-con- 

 tinued drought. The results in this vicinity the last two 

 seasons afford the strongest proof of this. Trees planted in 

 deep and well-prepared soil have been apparently but little 

 affected by the severe droughts, whilst in soils even best 

 adapted naturally for their growth, which had not been pre- 

 pared by spading to a proper depth, the trees either prema- 

 turely lost their foliage, or the leaves withered and drooped, 

 and the growth of the fruit was stopped. 



Many people neglect this important preparation of the 

 ground, on account of the expense which it requires. This 

 is a great mistake. The cost of properly spading land to the 

 requisite depth is from $100.00 to $150.00 per acre ; and, if a 

 person who proposes to cultivate trees on a large scale is 

 unable to afford the necessary expense at once, he will find it 

 in the end far more profitable to prepare and plant with trees, 

 such portion of his ground each year as he can afford to, prop- 

 erly. A few trees carefully planted in ground thus prepared 

 will be more remunerative than a much larger number set in 

 soil without preparation ; and, when trees once get started in 

 a deep soil, they are very sure to live and thrive, if properly 

 protected and manured. Many have the impression that the 

 life of the pear tree is more uncertain than that of any other 

 tree suited to our soil and climate, even under the best care 

 and culture. This impression is an erroneous one. Pear 

 orchards can be seen in this vicinity, planted within the last 

 ten or twenty years, in which not one tree in fifty has died. 



PLANTING AND MANURING. 



Few trees require a more fertile soil than the pear. As the 

 ground is being prepared it should be enriched, if possible, 

 with well-composted manures, which should be incorporated 

 with the soil near the surface. If the manure is not well rot- 

 ted, and the trees are planted immediately after it has been 

 put in the ground, there is danger of injury to the roots. If 

 thoroughly 'composted manure cannot be obtained, it is better 



