NTJESERY CULTIVATION. 43 



ing. It is almost identical with that of corn ; and were 

 the latter cultivated in drills, would be precisely the same. 



If everything has been well done, and the season favor- 

 able, in about two weeks after planting — we now speak 

 of spring planting — the young trees or sprouts will be 

 thickly set from one end of the row to the other. They 

 may be three inches high if the ground is very warm and 

 kind, and the sun and rain conducive ; or less, under less 

 favorable circumstances. A sharp, light cultivator should 

 now be run between the first and third rows, then be- 

 tween the second and fourth, but never between adjacent 

 rows on the same round; because by doing so you have to 

 make short turns, which impose more labor on the plow- 

 men, and often injures the trees in the end of the rows 

 by the treading of the horse, or bruising with the culti- 

 vator. Sometimes a small hai-row will be preferable to 

 the cultivator, especially if there are no weeds, and the 

 Dbject is simply to stir the ground. A week later this 

 should be repeated ; and so continuously, through the 

 early half of the season ; afterwards, the dressings may 

 be less frequent, or suspended altogether, according as 

 the ground is clean and mellow, and the growth rapid, or 

 otherwise. 



Should weeds or grass make their appearance amongst 

 the trees in the row, they must be promptly hoed or 

 pulled up, root and branch ; they have no business' there, 

 and deserve no mercy. 



Should the season be dry, or the ground stiff, it may be 

 necessary to use a small plow occasionally. Immediately 

 after, the harrow should follow, so that the clods may be 

 broken up and pulverized. 



If the ground has been well prepared, the subsequent 

 culture good, and the season favorable, the growth of the 

 young trees will be very rapid, and highly gratifying ; 

 and by the last of August they will have attained a hight 

 of four, five, or even six feet, and be quite strong and 



