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secure the proper staple of soil — a good and tenacious 

 loam. The second point, and one but little inferior 

 to the first in point of importance, is to secure the 

 bottom against the descent of the roots into the sub- 

 soil. When the subsoil is a clean gravel, surmounted 

 by a sound loam, it perhaps would not be prejudicial 

 to allow them to do so ; but in cold clays, or wet sub- 

 soils of a heterogeneous character, bad effects will 

 assuredly follow, and the trees will, moreover, have 

 a constant tendency to form late, and, of course, im- 

 mature growths, such being well-known precursors of 

 disease in most fruit-trees. 



The dwarf espalier requires a very moderate quan- 

 tity of good soil, pro^dding the staple is a sound and 

 rather tenacious loam ; and as such loams are not 

 readily obtainable by all parties, we would here point 

 rather to the minimum amount under which a fair 

 share of success may be obtained ; merely premising 

 that the more Uberal the supply of such loam, the 

 more permanent will be the success of the tree. When 

 the natural soil is pretty sound, or has been long 

 under cultivation, and produces good vegetables, little 

 indeed of pasture loam will be requisite for the dwarf 

 standard. The best criterion of a favourable apple 

 soil, is the production of very superior brocoli or 

 celery : soil which grows these two crops in high per- 

 fection will generally answer well for the apple. One 

 thing should have particular attention, and that is. 



