RATIONAL FRUIT CULTURE. 31 



Apparently, the grass, during its growth, secretes some poison 

 which affects other plants near. The poison is not permanent; 

 it decomposes in time, and is then converted into a plant- 

 food, which is one reason why old, dead turf is so admirably 

 adapted for mixing with potting soil; but it continues to be 

 secreted so long as the grass remains alive. It may- be ob- 

 jected that there are many grass orchards in the country, and 

 that the trees in some of them have reached a large size, and 

 look very healthy. But we do not know the conditions under 

 which they were planted. It was many years ago. There 

 may not have been grass around them then, and, even if there 

 was, its effects might not now be visible. In any case the 

 trees are so large that their roots must long have passed out 

 of the upper layer of soil, and the grass can have little direct 

 influence on them. 



But apart from the question of a poisonous secretion, 

 grass would consume much of the food which would other- 

 wise be available for the trees, while it would afford shelter 

 for many hurtful insects. It is, therefore, much wiser to 

 plant in arable land — land which has been ploughed or dug, 

 and which can be continued to be cultivated, and, when neces- 

 sary, manured, with the assurance that the trees will derive 

 the whole benefit. If the proposed site for the orchard is 

 at present meadow, and there is any good reason for not break- 

 ing it all up, the square cleared for each tree should be as 

 large as possible, in order that the roots may not be likely 

 to reach the turf for some years. 



THE DEPTH TO PLA^'T. 



The depth of planting should be the same as it was in 

 the nursery. This can easily be seen by the soil-mark round 

 the base of the stem. It should not be deeper, because the 

 roots would then be too far away from the surface, and growth 

 would be interfered with; it should not be shallower, because 



