PLANTING. 221 



Hgli pressure of close cropping that they are primarily feeding places for 

 the trees, and that all super-cropping must be consistent with, and 

 subordinate to the primary use of the borders. 



The risks and dangers of super-cropping are very great. To avoid 

 ■them as much as possible, the borders are sometimes made only 5ft. 

 wide. T6ese are unoropped altogether, or, where this cannot be afforded, 

 a row of cordon plums or pears is planted about the centre of 

 the narrow borders, and carried along a wire 9in. or a foot from its 

 surface. The borders are thus wholly devoted to the roots, which seem 

 ito agree very well together. The productive power of these narrow 

 borders can easily be sustained by manurial mulchings, and a. few 

 coatings of sewage during the growing season. The system may readily 

 be extended over a 10ft. or 12ft. border by multiplying rows of cordons 

 of various heights, so as to slope from the wall to the walk. Lines of 

 cordons, from 18in. to SOin. apart, might thus clothe the borders, 

 which would then be sacred to the roots of the trees. 



One more point in regard to peach borders, a gentle fall of lin. in ten or 

 twelve feet towards the'sun is a great advantage in most localities, ^he 

 sun's rays have more penetrative force when hitting the soil on the rise. 

 The fall is also of much service in shedding off a large portion of the 

 autumnal and winter rains, and altogether adds to the merits of the 

 borders, 



IV. — Method of Planting. 



The mode of planting is simple enough. Expedition in the process 

 is one of the surest means to success. AU preparations should be 

 made beforehand, so that as soon as the trees are lifted, or received 

 from a distance, they may be immediately planted. The old plan 

 of digging a sort of irregular hole, and thrusting the roots in roughly, 

 and ramming them down with the heel, was about the worst possible. 

 The roots were often bruised or broken, and almost always matted 

 or crowded together in a heap. Nothing could well be worse than 

 either for the trees. The entire earth should be removed to as wide 

 an area as the roots are likely to extend ; the bottom of the hole made 

 perfectly level ; or, if anything, with a slight ascent in all directions from 

 the bole of the tree to the extremities of the roots. The roots should 

 then be carefully and equally distributed over the level base, removing 

 each bruised or broken portion, or end, with a clean short cut in 

 the process of laying out. Care must be taken not to sink the collar 

 of the tree in planting lower, nor to raise it higher than its original 

 ground lines, then cover the roots over with from 41n. to Bin, of fine soil 



B 2 



