39 



must be admitted that, when under grass, the early 

 spring feed is very valuable ; it has been found, how- 

 ever, that the trees do not make such rapid pro- 

 gress as when cultivation is carried on between the 

 rows. In some parts, it is the custom to introduce 

 the hop culture, and when this is the case, the hop- 

 yard is in general commenced with the orchard ; the 

 hops being counted a much better nursery than tillage. 

 This is continued until the trees attain an inconvenient 

 size. 



Taking, therefore, the exclusion of stock of all 

 kinds as a guiding principle, we cannot but think 

 that white or grain crops occasionally in the earlier 

 stages, sinking finally into a well-planned rotation of 

 green crops, with an occasional rest for a couple of 

 years under grass, will, on the whole, be found the 

 most profitable and convenient. 



Pruning, Top-dressing, Renovation of Decaying 

 Trees, fyc. — The trees having been duly planted after 

 a due training in the nursery, little pruning is needed 

 in their earlier stages ; as much, however, should be 

 practised annually, as will cause the tree to form an 

 expanding head, in proper form. To accomplish 

 this, those trees which do not diverge sufficiently in 

 their side branches, should have such pruned back 

 for the first two or -three years, taking care to cut to 

 an eye placed where the branch is required to diverge 



