452 



NOTES AND ILLUSTEATIONS. 



the contents be thrown up in the autumn, and spread out, in order to 

 become friable by the winter's frost. In the month of March following 

 mix this earth, as intimately as possible^ with the dung-compost, so pre- 

 pared and fermented as above, turn it twice, and spread the whole 

 round each tree in the rows. 



From what I know respecting the quantity of dung employed, accor- 

 ding to the ordinary method, the large portion of peaty earth with 

 which it is to be mixed as above, added to the contents of the trench, I 

 am led to believe that, if ver;i/ intimately mixed, it will form a mass of 

 materials well calculated to enlarge the pabulum of the trees to a con- 

 siderable extent. If the soil be clayey, (which is generally the case in 

 these orchards,) and sand be at no great distance, it would be a sensible 

 improvement to add a fourth part of that earth to the entire mass, even 

 though in a state of considerable purity, and of itself incapable of pro- 

 ducing vegetation. Let the whole mass then be regularly spread round 

 each tree, beginning at the stem, at six or eight inches deep, as you can 

 afford it, and ending at two or three inches ; and lastly, let it be pointed 

 with the spade, to the depth of two inches only, into the original soil. 

 Thus an area will be covered of twelve feet or more out from the tree, 

 or as far as the branches extend. Lastly, let the new surface be levelled 

 with the rake, and sown down with grass-seeds. 



It will suffice to give the trees a supply of fine mould, such as this, 

 once in seven or eight years ; and when this is laid on, if attention be 

 paid to give the whole surface of the orchard a good top-dressing for 

 grass, in the ordinary manner, I could venture to promise that the 

 superior produce, by the second year, in hay and fruit, will repay the 

 extra expense and labour attending the work. Should this expense be 

 grudged, and brought into a disadvantageous comparison with the imme- 

 diate return from the potato-crop, the following method may be tried. 



Let the central trench be opened as already directed, and the contents 

 rendered friable by a sufficient exposure to the elements. Let one-fourth 

 part of quick lime, (that is, lime shells,) in the succeeding spring, after 

 being well slaked, twice turned, and brought to the most powdery state 

 possible, be applied to the contents of the trench, and intimately mixed 

 with them, observing that, by twice turning at least, the minutest commi- 

 Qiution of the parts takes place. Let this compost then be spread round 

 the stems of the trees, pointing it in with the spade as before, two inches 

 deep, and sowing down with grass-seeds in a similar manner. 



This species of top-dressing, though less expensive, will not pay 

 nearly so well as the other, in proportion to the money laid out ; but 

 that will not probably amount to more than one-third of the former 

 cost. In either case, the pabulum of the tree will be surprisingly 



