THE HOME FKUIT- GARDEN. 291 



located in a rather secluded part, as more or less of the 

 material used and some of the crops grown are not of a 

 distinctly ornamental character in all stages of growth; 

 besides, some seclusion is desirable when carrying on the 

 work of planting, cultivating, fertilizing, or even harvest- 

 ing the products. Fig. 167 illustrates the fruit-garden 

 located in the southwest corner of the lot. 



In this garden the large and small frnits may be grown 

 more or less grouped together, as shown in the above figure, 

 though for the best results each kind should be planted 

 entirely distinct from the others. The arrangement in rows 

 as shown in the figure is made that the work of cultivating 

 may be largely done by the horse-plow and cultivator. 



The Soil. 



Much of the success of the work in the fruit-garden will 

 depend upon the character of the soil. That which is best 

 for the greater variety of frnits is a deep sandy loam not 

 easily affected by drouth. Should the soil in the different 

 parts of the garden vary, the apples, pears, quinces, and 

 red raspberries, currants, and gooseberries should be planted 

 on that which is the heaviest; while the peach, cherry, 

 grape, plum, and blackberry will succeed in lighter soil. 

 Any kind of soil, however, may be improved somewhat in 

 character at a little expense. Thus a light soil may be 

 made more retentive of moisture by plowing under stable 

 manure, leaf-mould, peat, etc., while the moisture in such 

 a soil may be conserved by deep plowing in the spring and 

 frequent stirring of the surface-soil during the summer. 



Very heavy soils may be improved by underdraining, by 

 deep plowing, by the application of sand, or by plowing the 



