Feb.] 



THE FRUIT GARDEN, 



557 



PLANTING ORCHARD-TREES. 



If the orchard has been trenched, or prepared as has been 

 ah'eady advised under that head, and if the soil be dry, and 

 the weather open, the several fruit-trees may now be planted. 

 Having brought them to the spot, proceed to trim their roots 

 and branches, as directed in the last article, and plant them 

 in the manner there laid down, giving each tree a portion, 

 more or less, according to the soil, or other circumstances, of 

 the prepared compost directed to be prepared for them, and on 

 no account fail to puddle the roots of them well. After plant- 

 ing, let them be properly staked and supported, and the ground 

 mulched or covered round their stems, as above directed. If 

 the orchard be not sufficiently fenced to exclude hares, each 

 tree should be protected from them by being well bushed round 

 with thorns, or otherwise secured. The trees being planted, 

 the ground between them may be put in order, by manuring, 

 if necessary, and digging, to be ready to receive such crops ot 

 seeds or roots, as may be deemed most useful to the owner. 

 It is a mistaken notion that ground planted with fruit-trees 

 should be kept entirely for them, at least for the first years of 

 their growth. The operations of hoeing and cultivating it, will 

 much improve the trees in their young state, and the crops 

 obtained by the public fruit-grower will help to pay his rent 

 and the expense of cultivation. In private orchards or fruit- 

 gardens, it will be a useful appendage to the culinary-garden, 

 and by cultivating it, the gardener will be enabled to give rest 

 to a part of his ground, which has been under culinary crops 

 for years. Alter the fruit-trees are established, it may be sown 

 down in grass, both for neatness and profit. When the trees 

 are once in a bearing state, they will, under favorable circum- 

 stances, pay for the groimd, and at such a time, cropping under- 

 neath them should be abandoned. 



DRESSING FRUIT-TREE BORDERS. 



Let all the fruit-tree borders be neatly dug over, as soon as 

 the pruning and nailing of the trees are finished, which should 

 now be forwarded with all expedition. In digging fruit-tree 



