THE FRUIT GARDEN 



32S 



CHAP. HI, 



SELECTING TREES FOR THE FRUIT-GARDEN AND PLANTING. 



As has already been noticed, a selection of good fruits is 

 better than a long catalogue of names, the merits of which are 

 not properly known. Future success depends upon a good 

 selection, and the natural situation and soil are of too much 

 importance to be overlooked. Such sorts should be preferred 

 as are known for their merits, either for early ripening, fine 

 flavor, long keeping, or other properties, wdiich may be con- 

 sidered as most useful to the owner. A certain portion of all, 

 which are possessed of these properties should be planted, 

 but a smaller proportion of the first sort. In the lists of fruits 

 given in this work, notice will be taken of the seasons in 

 which they ripen, and the length of time that they will keep, 

 and fi-om them, a proper selection should be made. Accord- 

 ing to the instructions given in the article of public orchards, 

 care should be taken to procure the trees from some eminent 

 fruit-grower, as being less likely to meet with disappointment. 

 Another important consideration is to have healthy trees, free 

 from all appearance of canher, gum, insects, &c. ; for this pur- 

 pose, where it is found convenient, the selection should be 

 made in summer, when most of their faults are more easily 

 detected. It is a dangerous thing to introduce a tree infected 

 with certain diseases, particularly such as are of the infectious 

 sorts. It not only destroys the tree itself, but probably spreads 

 over all the garden ; and as a preventive is always better than 

 a cure, it is better to avoid planting a tree under suspicious 

 appearances. Presuming that the ground has been properly 

 trenched, drained, and previously ameliorated, proceed at the 

 proper seasons, either in November, for soils of a light de- 

 scription, or for soils of a strong and rather damp texture, in 

 February or March, to plant the various sorts of trees, as has 

 been directed in a former part of the work. 



In situations where, from a variety of circumstances, it 

 may be found inconvenient or impossible to devote a separate 



