310 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



light soil. Damsons also need a heavy soil. In all cases 

 it is essential that the depth of soil should be from 2ft. 

 to 3ft. Shallow soils overlying chalk or gravel are rarely 

 satisfactory, the trees soon becoming stunted in growth, 

 cankerous, and unfruitful. 



There are two methods of preparing the soil for trees 

 in grass orchards. One and by far the best is to trench 

 the site 2ft. deep, and break up the subsoil and give it a 

 good dressing of manure 40 tons to the acre and then 

 plant the site with potatoes for the first year. The culti- 

 vation required for this crop will put the soil in good tilth 

 for planting in autumn. The following spring the land 

 can be sewn with pasture seeds, and thus ensure not only 

 the future success of the trees, but the foundation also 

 of a good permanent pasture. Trees planted in land that 

 has been deeply and wholly dug over have a \*ider and 

 fuller run for their roots, and hence will make a more 

 rapid and healthy growth than those planted in holes dug 

 out of the pasture. 



The second method is adapted for planting in old pas- 

 tures or in lawns, and consists of digging out holes gft. 

 in diameter and 2ft. deep for standards, and 6ft. wide for 

 bush trees- The disadvantage of this plan is, when the 

 roots reach the limit of the holes they have to penetrate 

 the natural soil, which may or may not be of a good tex- 

 ture. If it is of a naturally porous and friable nature, well 

 and good ; but if it be clayey or poor, then the roots will 

 not thrive happily in it, and the result will be a check to 

 growth. However, those who prefer to run the risk of 

 adopting this method should first of all pare off the turf 

 and put this on one side, then dig out one spit deep of 

 soil, and place this also on one side. Next take out a 

 trench one spit deep, break up the subsoil with a fork, 

 and turn the soil over it. If, however, this second spit 

 should be of a gravelly, sandy, clayey, or chalky nature, 

 it is well to remove and replace it with good soil. Next 

 replace the turf, chopping this into small pieces and blend- 



