FEB.J PLANTING. 209 



injurious to the trees. By wrapping the stems round 

 with hay-bands, the air is too much excluded from 

 them, which it is not, though they be ever so closely 

 surrounded by thorns, and so as effectually to pre- 

 vent the hares from coming at them. Those who 

 besmear the stems of trees with oil, and with cer- 

 tain dungs, in order to save them from the depreda- 

 tions of hares and rabbits, prove themselves to be 

 little acquainted with the economy of vegetation. 

 By closing up the pores of the bark, they do the 

 plants an equal, if not a greater injury, than the 

 hares do by peeling them. 



Of cropping the ground among young Orchard 

 Trees. 



It is very proper to crop the ground among new 

 planted orchard trees for a few years, in order to de- 

 fray the expence of hoeing and cultivating it ; which 

 should be done until the temporary plants are re- 

 moved, and the whole be sown down in grass. But 

 it is by no means advisable to carry the system of 

 cropping with vegetables to such an excess as is fre- 

 quently done. If the bare expence of cultivating 

 the ground, and the rent be paid by such cropping, 

 it should be considered enough. As the trees begin 

 to produce fruit, begin also to relinquish cropping. 

 When by their productions they defray all expences, 

 crop no longer. I consider these as being whole- 

 some rules, both for the trees and their owners ; of 

 which the reader may see further, by turning to the 

 same subject in November. 



o 



