FRUIT-TREE BORDERS. 151 



a yard, so much the better. The borders for wall- 

 trees should not be less than twelve feet in breadth ; 

 but fifteen or eighteen feet is not too much. That 

 is to say, the soil should be prepared to these 

 breadths and depths, if it be not naturally good, 

 and perfectly answerable for the different kinds of 

 trees to be planted ; for different fruits require dif- 

 ferent soils, as will be more particularly noticed 

 below. 



But it is not enough that the upper soil only be 

 improved. The subsoil must also be attended to, 

 and be laid comfortably dry ; otherwise success in 

 the rearing of fruits will be precarious and doubt- 

 ful. Draining, as before observed, is the basis of 

 every improvement in horticulture ; being, in the 

 first place, the basis of improvement in the soil. In 

 this particular case, of preparing fruit-tree borders, 

 it is indispensable. 



But further, it is also necessary that the roots of 

 the trees be kept out of the subsoil, if it be of a 

 cankering quality, as till, or corroding sand. This 

 matter has appeared evident to many, and various 

 means have been taken to prevent them from get- 

 ting down to a bad substratum, at much trouble 

 and expence. I shall here submit a method, per- 

 haps the least expensive and most effectual of any ; 

 which has been successfully practised for several 

 years. 



If the subsoil be wet and cankering, let the bor- 

 der be cleared out its whole length, to the depth 

 and breadth before mentioned. Lay the bottom in 

 a sloping manner from the wall to the walk, giving 



