ORCHARDS. 



115 



winch is so peculiarly fitted to be the food of trees. 

 If a spot of this description be fixed on, the first 

 thing to be done h marking the places of the trees. 

 These should be in rows, ranging from north to 

 south, or as near to these points as may be. The 

 distance of the rows apart should be forty feet ; and 

 the spaces from tree to tree, in the rows, should not 

 be less than from twenty to twenty-five feet. The 

 holes, for the reception of the trees, ought to be 

 circles or squares, of not less than six feet over, 

 trenched eighteen inches deep : the turf being thrown 

 into the bottom, or kept to be relaid on the stirface. 

 This w^ork should be done about the first of Oc- 

 tober, or a month sooner if convenient. If the soil 

 be not exactly what could be wished for the trees, 

 either as respects its openness or quality, a barrow- 

 ful or two of fresh light loam may be added to each 

 hole to encourage the speedy striking root, and to 

 admit of higher planting than could be done on a level 

 surface, without some additional soil being laid on. 

 But, if the natural soil be good free loam, no extra 

 earth will be necessary. In some cases, keeping the 

 broken ground round the trees open for a year or 

 two, for the purpose of forking in some top dressing, 

 is sometimes practised ; but neither is this neces- 

 sary, if the general surface soil be as described. 



The holes being ready, the next thing is the 

 choice of the trees. They should have straight, clear 

 stems, of the proper height, say six and a half feet; 

 and should be such as have not been more than twice 

 hcaded-in in the nursery; and that their yearling 



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