102 



OF PLANTING. 



S£CT. VIII, 



In the cafe of only making the foil good for the pre* 

 fent % the firft opportunity, (or at leaft before the roots 

 fpread far) fhould be taken to extend the benefit as far 

 as may be, even to feveral yards round, and let this 

 work be done deep enough, or as low as the part 

 made good for firft planting, i. e. two feet, or as near 

 trpon it as the cafe will allow. In a few years this at- 

 tention fhould be extended (in bad foils) to where it may 

 bethought poffible for the roots to have reached. For 

 •want of this, a tree fometimes fails when juft come to 

 its lull fize and principal time for bearing. When 

 roots reach a weak, ill-conditioned, poifonous foil, the 

 tree mujl fail ; and it fhould be remembered, that the 

 extreme branches of the root are what chiefly nourifh a 

 plant, and not thofe about the ftem. 



Fruit trees (though they like a rather ftrong foil) 

 "will not profper, or hardly grow, im cold clay; but 

 in a foil that is tolerable above, they may be planted, 

 by improving, or raifmg this, as the cafe may require, 

 and cautioufiy avoiding going into the clav. Some 

 perfons have laid flat itones, or tiles, below the root to 

 aconfiderable diftance, which perhaps may anfwer ; but 

 it feems advifable only to do it about a foot fquare, (or a 

 little more) as this may give the roots a definable hori- 

 zontal direction. It has been recommended to do this 

 in all kinds of foil, in order to infure a more fuperficial 

 fpread, than without fuch contrivance could be expefted. 

 If the foil be good, (at the fame time ftrong) above any 

 bad foil, and the roots take to run towards the furiace, 

 it is furprifing how trees will thus profper. 



When planting takes place fuperficially, let a hillock 

 of earth be laid round the roots, and the tree fecured by 

 a flake for two or three years to hold it Heady ; and 

 keep turf 'or mofs about the root till the tree is well 

 eftablifhed. The hill may be from fix inches to half a 

 yard high ; in the latter cafe, lowering it a few inches 

 every year in autumn till within fix of the root. 



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