424 FRUIT CULTURE FOR PROFIT. 



often meant merely digging a hole large enough and deep 

 enough to admit and cover the roots, in the way one would 

 stick in a post, cannot be too loudly condemned. How- 

 ever good the soil, however careful the after culture, no 

 satisfactory results can follow it. The soil should be well 

 prepared, and the trees carefully planted and cultivated 

 according to the recognised methods of our most intelligent 

 and experienced horticulturists. 



It is impossible in the brief space of time allotted for 

 the reading of this paper to enter into the minute details 

 of cultivation ; I may say, however, that when planting, 

 the top of the roots should not be more than four inches 

 beneath the surface in heavy soils, and six inches in light 

 soils. The roots, too, should not be huddled together in a 

 dense mass, but be spread out and the soil worked in 

 between them. 



All cultivators, will, I think, agree with me that an 

 annual manuring and shallow digging is desirable, and that 

 the pruning-knife should be occasionally used ; thinning of 

 the fruit may also often be practised with advantage. The 

 trees, if standards, should also be staked to preserve them 

 from injury by the wind. Of course, the digging cannot 

 take place in orchards that are laid down in grass, but 

 while I would not condemn such, they cannot be spoken of 

 as the highest examples of cultivation. 



In some estimates of profits lately put forward it 

 appears to me that these costs in connection with the 

 cultivation of the trees and soil have not been sufficiently 

 allowed for. 



The improvement of races by selection and cross- 

 breeding falls properly under the head of cultivation. 

 Much has been done in this way by our skilled horticul- 

 turists during the last few years. Many of the fruits 

 which now take a lead in the market were unknown there 

 a generation ago. The cultivation of new fruits, although 

 often very profitable, is, however, attended with consider- 

 able risk, and should be undertaken with due caution. It 



