the Making of Cider and Perry. 
393 
water poured upon it. After a few hours, the remaining mould 
may be added, and well trodden down. 
The mode of fencing must be suited to the kind of stock kept 
in the orchard. If sheep only are depastured, the tree should be 
closely surrounded by strong thorns stuck into the ground, en- 
closed and sustained by thick stakes driven into the firm ground 
beneaUi, and reaching nearly to the forks of the tree, and these 
firmly held together by strong bands or withes. As a further 
precaution against damage from the gnawing of sheep at any 
exposed place, the trees should be washed or smeared with a 
mixture of creamy lime and cow-dung, Avhich should be renewed 
from time to time as occasion may require. If it be indispensable 
to stock the orchard occasionally with large cattle, the tree must 
be fenced by two or three rough strong posts, fixed firmly in the 
ground, and united by strong battens or short rails nailed to each, 
and embracing thorns or furze closely surrounding the tree. It is 
a miserable economy to perform this part of the business of 
planting imperfectly or scantily, as many an orchard has been 
ruined by the* neglect of proper and substantial fencing. In some 
situations, where flat slaty stones abound, the trees are sometimes 
surrounded by a circular wall. The trees should be planted at 
the distance of from 40 to 60 feet apart, according to the richness 
of the soil ; for it should be always remembered that the roots 
extend far beyond the branches. At 42 feet distance, 25 trees 
will stand upon an acre, which may be generally considered the 
proper number. The rows should run north and south, in order 
that the trees may derive the greatest benefit from the sun. If in 
the ensuing spring a thick dressing of a well-mixed compost of 
lime and earth be laid over the whole space that has been opened 
round the trees, and afterwards dug in, it will be highly beneficial 
to them ; and digging or forking round the trees should be re- 
peated every year, for three or four years. If the ground be wet 
it should be thoroughly drained by deep covered trenches between 
each row of trees ; and if, besides this, the whole ground were 
trench-dug, and the turf replaced as the work proceeds, if grass- 
land, or trench-ploughed if arable, the expense would be well 
repaid by the rapid growth of the trees, and the improvement of 
the land. 
The benefit derived to apple-trees from deep digging, and a 
consequent permeable state of the soil, is strikingly manifested 
by the rapid progress and early bearing of orchards which succeed 
the cultivation of hops, a particular instance of which I have 
noticed in my own experience, and which is mentioned in my 
treatise on the ' Planting and Management of Forest Trees,' * in- 
* This xmpei- had the name of Charles Falkner affixed to it by a mistake. 
