106 



THE NURSEKY. 



so general that the whole plantation had to be taken up. 

 This ground was then thoroughly drained, and is now as 

 good a pear soil as can be found a stock of beautiful 

 trees standing on it at the present time. This single in- 

 stance illustrates the importance of a dry soil, as well as 

 twenty would. We frequently find that in the same row 

 of trees, if there happens to be a low, damp spot, the 

 trees in it have no fibrous roots, and are altogether inferior 

 to those on the adjacent dry ground. 



2d. Depth. As a general thing, the soil of a nursery 

 should be a foot to eighteen inches deep ; but all trees do 

 not require the same depth. Those (such as the pear) 

 whose roots descend more than they spread, require the 

 deepest soil. The best quality of nursery trees are grown 

 on common farming land, twice ploughed with the com- 

 mon and subsoil ploughs, one following the other, as de- 

 scribed in the chapter on soils. This gives depth enough 

 for all ordinary purposes. 



3d. Texture. A soil of medium texture between the 

 heavy and the light, is, on the whole, the most advan- 

 tageous, as being the best adapted to general purposes. 

 A good friable loam, with a gravelly subsoil, or a mixture 

 of sand, gravel, and clay, that will allow water to pass 

 off freely, and yet not too fast, will be found suitable for 

 almost any species ; and one great advantage of such a 

 soil is, that it admits of rotation in crops. 



4th. Quality. For the growth of young fruit trees, a soil 

 should be in such a condition as to furnish a sufficient sup- 

 ply of nutriment to ensure a vigorous and robust growth ; 

 but it may be too rich, and produce rank wood that will 

 not mature properly, and be unable to withstand the 

 change of climate or soil consequent upon transplanting. 

 Where manures are used, they should be well decom- 

 posed ; fresh warm manures excite trees into a very rapid 

 growth, but the wood is watery and feeble. A dry soil of 



