24 RATIONAL FRUIT CULTURE. 



THE SITE FOR AN ORf.HARD. 



Before the trees arrive from the nursery the ground should 

 be prepared for them. The site should be sunny, open, but 

 not excessively exposed. Fresh air is, as we have seen, 

 necessary for the ripening of the wood, and also for the colour- 

 ing of the fruit, but if the site is swept by strong winds the 

 trees may be broken, or much of the fruit may be blown 

 down and spoilt. Sometimes, however, there is no alterna- 

 tive; and, if an orchard must be in a bleak position, a screen 

 of tall, fast-growing trees, such as Poplars, should be planted 

 on the side from which the prevalent winds come. 



THE IMOST SLITABLE SOIL. 



The most suitable soil is good, porous loam. If it is 

 very light, it requires great quantites of manure to keep it 

 in good condition, and this involves much labour and expense; 

 if it is very heavy, growth is slow, ripening of the wood is 

 interfered with, and disease is often troublesome. Wet land 

 must be drained. This should be done by putting in field 

 drains, though, in less serious cases, it may be suflBcient to 

 place a layer of stones, or broken bricks, at the bottom of the 

 holes prepared for the trees. Stone-fruits, such as Plums 

 and Cherries, require lime; so, for them, if the soil is deficient 

 in lime, old mortar, or chalk, should be substituted for the 

 stones or broken bricks. 



SAND AND CLAY. 



It would be impossible (o emphasise too strongly the 

 necessity of drainage. Apart from organic matter, resulting 

 from the decomposition of vegetation, manures, and so forth, 

 the principal constituents of soil nre sand and clay. They 

 differ from one another chemically, but that, as far as plants 

 are concerned, is of no importance, for as neither is soluble 

 in water, their (shemical coinposilion cannot iiffect growth. But 



