46 THE APPLE-TREE 



the ground and thereby provide a rude kind of tillage. If 

 animals are fed other food in the orchard, the fertilizer 

 increment will be considerable. 



In house-lot conditions, the apple-tree usually receives 

 sufficient food if the land is well enriched for garden pur- 

 poses; but trees in sod should have liberal top-dressings 

 of fertilizer every year and of stable manure every other 

 year. 



The apple-tree should have a good supply of moisture. 

 Planted on banks and in hard places about buildings, it 

 may suffer in this respect. The land should be so graded 

 that the rainfall will not run off. In orchard conditions, 

 the moisture is conserved by the addition of humus to 

 the land, and by thorough judicious tillage; and in dry 

 regions it is supplied by irrigation. 



The energy of the apple-tree, and its ability to pro- 

 duce, is conserved by holding all diseases and noxious 

 insects in check. The means at the command of the 

 apple-grower are now many. No longer is the man help- 

 less, nor does he need to appeal to the moon or to "at- 

 mospheric influences" for reasons. The natural histories 

 of fungi and insects, that do so much damage, are now 

 a part of common understandable knowledge. To acquire 

 at least a working understanding of the commonest of 

 these subjects is in itself a great satisfaction and gives 

 one a sense of dominion. The good books and bulletins 

 are sufficient to keep one well informed. All these or- 

 ganisms are tenants of the apple-tree, and from the 

 naturist's point of view alone they are not to be over- 

 looked. 



It is not to be inferred that all apple-trees will yield 

 equally well with equally good treatment. There is 



