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dropping, four or five furrows on each side of a row, will be 

 found a most eligible mode of promoting the growth of a young- 

 orchard. 



All fallow crops are most favorable to the growth of orchards 

 at every early stage of their cultivation : Indian corn, potatoes, 

 and vines, are preferable to oats or barley ; and these again are 

 more favorable than winter grain. Buckwheat is one of the most 

 beneficial crops for the promotion of the autumnal growth of 

 trees ; clover is, by many farmers, believed to be injurious to 

 young trees ; its tendency to check the growth of trees will be 

 found, I believe, to be in proportion to the air and moisture 

 which its greater or less vigorous growth may keep from the 

 roots ; light and heat appear as necessary to the roots as to the 

 branches of trees. Closer, while it occupies the ground,must pre- 

 vent cultivation 5 so far, I apprehend, it will be found pernicious, 

 but probably not in a greater degree than any other luxuriant 

 and deeply rooted species cf grass, absorbing the moisture, and 

 exhausting the strength of the soil which covers the roots of small 

 trees. In the arrangement of an orchard, both convenience and 

 beauty will result from planting each kind in distinct contiguous 

 rows. Some cultivators pay particular attention to continue in 

 the orchard the aspect the tree maintained in the nursery, I 

 have sometimes adopted the practice without much confidence 

 in its efficacy ; nor can I think it probable that trees, growing 

 in close rows, not much exposed, in the nursery, can, by any 

 habit, so limited in its duration, be affected by any permanent 

 contraction or rigidity of the bark, or sup vessels, which are the 

 only effects I have ever heard ascribed to the influence of aspect, 

 en the stems of young trees. 



The prevalent winds of our climate, are from the northwest ; 

 in light soils, their violence will sometimes give an inclination 

 to newly planted trees to the southeast ; this may easily be re- 

 medied by setting up the trees while young ; and when they 

 have attained a large growth, it may be overcome, in a great 

 degree, by cutting off' the leaning branches, and by freely prun- 

 ing the leeward side of the tree. 



Moss is a plant produced by poverty and neglect ; it is very 

 prejudicial to trees, and should be carefully removed ; this can 

 be readily done by rubbing the trees in damp weather with a 

 bone, or the back of a knife. Good cultivation will generally 

 prevent the growth of moss ; whitewashing the stem not only 

 cleanses the tree of moss, but destroys many kinds of lice very 

 injurious to fruit trees ; it is followed by a cleanliness in the 

 bark after it has been dissolved by the rain, and promotes the 

 health ^nd vigor of the tree whenever applied. 



