MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &c 4 229 



Some only dig holes large enough to receive the roots, 

 efpecially in grafs ground which is to be continued fo. 

 Others prepare the ground by deep ploughing, if the orchard 

 is to be of great extent. The fward, if p allure, lliould be 

 ploughed-in fome time in Spring: give it a good fummer- 

 fallow, ploughing it two or three times, which will rot the turf. 

 A fortnight or three weeks before planting, give the ground a 

 good deep ploughing to prepare it for the reception of the 

 trees. The belt time for planting on a dry foil is in 

 October ; but, if wet, the latter end of February, or the 

 month of March, will be a fitter feafon. 



In planting, endeavour to fuit the trees as well as pofllble to 

 the foil, and to plant them at proper distances from each, 

 other ; which may be from forty to eighty feet, according to 

 the fize of the trees when full-grown. Fruit-trees, as has 

 already been obferved, when planted too thick, are very liable 

 to blights, and to be covered with mofs, which robs the tree 

 of a great part of its nourifhment, befides fpoiling the flavour 

 of the fruit. Procure your trees from a foil, nearly Similar to, 

 or rather worfe than that where you intend to plant them ; for 

 trees tranfplanted from a rich foil to a poorer never thrive well, 

 but if from a poor to a richer foil, they will generally Succeed. 



If trees are planted in the quincunx order, and at the -dis- 

 tance of eighty feet, the ground between the rows may be 

 ploughed and fown with Wheat, Turnips, &c. or planted 

 with Potatoes. Plowing or digging the ground, provided it be 

 not done fo deep as to hurt the roots, by admitting the fun 

 and rain to meliorate the ground, will keep the trees in a 

 healthy flourilhing State. It will be neceUary to Support the 

 young trees 'by tying them to flakes until they are well rooted, 

 to prevent their being looSened or blown down by the wind* 



The 



