FRUIT-TREES. 369 



Oak wood is the beft for this purpofe, 

 it being of the longeft duration* 



The earth about the roots of young 

 tres fliould be kept conftantly moiil the 

 firft year after planting, from the begin- 

 ning of March to the end of September; 

 but the water fhould never be poured in 

 great quantities near the ftem, for that is 

 fubject to wafh away the earth. 



The beft method is to m„ake a little 

 trench round the tree, at the diftance of a 

 foot, and pour the water into it; by 

 this means the water will fooner reach the 

 more remote parts of the root, where it is 

 moft wanted -, and the ground round the 

 tree for the fpace of ten feet, fhould alfo 

 be kept clear of weeds, or any kind of ve- 

 getables. 



All branches that put out from the 

 ftem muil be rubbed off at their firft ap- 

 pearance; and if fuckers put up from 

 the roots, they muft be difplaced likewife ; 

 or, if any ftrong and upright branch ap- 

 pears from any of the horizontals, it muft 

 be cut away, except the greateft part of 

 the horizontal be dead which they proceed 

 from, or either of the horizontals next to 

 B b it, 



