SOIL. 



5 



stratum is wet. The depth of it should be 

 three feet at the wall, and two feet six inches 

 at the front, also twelve or fourteen feet broad. 

 The surface of the under stratum must be so 

 formed as to have an inclination from the 

 wall to the front of the border, of twelve 

 inches. After this is done, let a drain be 

 made to run close to the wall, and in a di- 

 rection with it, also another to run parallel 

 with it at the front of the border. These 

 drains must be open stone drains, and be so 

 made that all superabundant water can be 

 carried entirely away from the border. The 

 drains must be so constructed that the tops 

 of them may be about three inches higher 

 than the surface of the following composed 

 substratum. After the drains are formed, 

 there must be laid all over the surface of the 

 under stratum, three inches thickness of mo- 

 derate sized gravel, (if gravel cannot be had, 

 stones or brick bats broken to a small size, 

 may be used for the purpose) upon this spread 

 about one inch thick of fine gravel, or instead 

 of it, strong road drift; then let the whole be 

 well rolled or beaten firm together. After 

 this is done, lay about three inches more of 

 gravel or small stones which must also be 

 rolled to an even surface, but not so as to 

 bind them very close together. This method 

 of forming the substratum of a fruit tree bor- 

 der ought always to be attended to when the 

 soil of the border is a very strong loam, unless 



