4 CHOOSING THE LAND 
the dangerous situations are on the higher bench lands, 
where the air is more stationary. 
Som Dratmace.—In British Columbia, however, 10 
condition of surface is better adapted for a successful 
orchard in yet another essential respect—namely, soil 
drainage—than that given by a gentle slope. As the 
snows melt, which they begin to do, as a rule, soon after 
the middle of March, the water begins to run down the 
mountain-sides to the lake or river at their foot. If the 
slope is steep, it will flow away rapidly. If the slope is 
gentle, it will in most cases continue to find its way down, 
at a sufficiently slow rate, during the whole, or at any rate 
during a great part, of the summer. In this way, through 
the agency of the natural seepage of the winter snowfall, 
the roots of the fruit-trees are supplied with liquid 
nourishment during the whole or the greater part of their 
period of natural growth, and it is supplied to them, 
moreover, in the moderate quantities that they need. 
The supply is at no time in excess, so that water does not 
stagnate about the roots and waterlog them—a condition 
of things that is fatal to the successful growth and success- 
ful yield of orchard trees. 
Asprct.—As regards aspect, some orchardists of ex- 
perience recommend a slope facing the north-west as 
being the ideal aspect for an orchard. Now, while it is 
true that there do exist good reasons for believing that 
this conclusion is correct, nevertheless it is manifestly 
impossible for all orchards to have a north-west aspect. 
A large proportion must of necessity face in other direc- 
tions. I may say, summarily, so far as my experience 
and observations go, it does not really matter very much 
