278 VEGETABLE FOOD. 



gravelly subsoil, are always found of better quality 

 than such as are produced on rich heavy land. That is, 

 the fruit, though smaller, contains more sugar ; and the 

 kitchen vegetables, though more diminutive in bulk, 

 are of better flavour. The concentrated juices in both 

 these cases, and farina of cereal plants, are greatly 

 superior to the productions from off deep, rich, or 

 highly manured land. Grossly exuberant crops are 

 always more crude in the quality of their sap, as well 

 as coarse in cellular structure. These circumstances 

 should not be forgotten in forming fruit borders ; 

 mistakes are often committed in making them too 

 rich, as well as too deep ; hence the trees grow too 

 luxuriantly, and yield large- sized fruit ; but the 

 flavour is inferior. Fresh unexhausted loam, pro- 

 vided it be dry enough, is the best for all kinds of 

 fruit-trees ; and this last particular can only be ensured 

 by efficient drainage. 



