106 FRUIT CULTURE. 



back to within six inches of the ground. Earthen 

 pots at least a foot in diameter, outside measure, 

 at the top, or better yet, a foot inside, as involv- 

 ing less care and larger results, and having three 

 good sized drainage holes at the bottom, can be 

 procured at any pottery. The holes are not to 

 be covered with large crocks, as is usual, but 

 rather with a small piece of inverted sod or 

 sphagnum, which will allow the roots to pene- 

 trate to the soil beneath. The soil, which it will 

 be well to have prepared in the fall pyrevious, 

 will be a mellow pasture sod, or moderately 

 retentive loam, having but a small percentage of 

 vegetable matter. Fresh hard wood ashes are 

 the most suitable fertilizer to add and work in, 

 six months previous to use, at the rate of half 

 a bushel of ashes to a barrel of soil. Double or 

 treble this amount of leached ashes would be re- 

 quired, according to its strength. Where it is 

 difficult to obtain wood ashes a relative amount 

 of the fertilizer, as recommended by Professor 

 Maynard, may be used. 



This compost being in fine tilth in April, and 

 comparatively dry, it will readily work in among 

 the roots, and pack firmly without hardening. 

 Be careful not to plant the roots too deep, keep- 

 ing them as near to the surface as they stood in 

 the nursery. AYith a pestle pound the soil care- 



