THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL. 



29 



saw-dust, or any other vegetable refuse, putting the 

 coarsest materials at the bottom. Now cover the loosen- 

 ed subsoil with surface mould from the adjacent strip, 

 which is next to be trenched, and loosen the bottom of 

 this strip also to the required depth, adding amendments 

 as before. Proceed thus until the plot is finished, cover- 

 ing the subsoil of the last strip with the surface mould 

 taken from the first one opened. If the soil is too light, 

 clay should be added to it while being trenched. If it 

 needs drainage, the drains should be laid at the same time. 

 Drain tile forms the most perfect mode of drainage where 

 they can be obtained at a reasonable rate. They should 

 be laid deep, below the bottom of the trenches. 



Trenching is an expensive operation, but <c nothing," 

 says Mr. Barry, " is so expensive and troublesome, as an 

 ill-prepared soil." This process is found to be of great 

 advantage in England, where there is no lack of moisture, 

 and still more so by the market gardeners of the North ; 

 while in our own dry, warm climate, it is, as I know by 

 trial, absolutely indispensable. Ground thus prepared is 

 not so liable to wash away, as it will readily soak up the 

 heaviest rain, if properly terraced. There is no point of 

 greater importance than this. Poor ground deeply mov- 

 ed sometimes yields better than rich with shallow tillage, 

 and when the ground has been prepared once in this man- 

 ner, it will feel the benefit forever after. Increasing the 

 depth of the soil in this mode is to all intents and pur- 

 poses increasing the size of your garden ; for one-fourth 

 of an acre thus prepared will yield in a dry season as 

 much as an acre will with shallow tillage ; and the growth 

 of the plants in a good season will be fully doubled. 

 Trees, especially, feel the benefit of this preparation, and 

 all fruit-gardens should be thus prepared. No matter how 

 deep you may work the soil for trees or plants, their fibers 

 will penetrate it, and feel the good effect. 



Trenching should be performed in the fall — the coarse 



