34 
J^rarlieal  HinfK  on  Frnit  Farmimi. 
evaporating  power,  exhausts  the  moisture  from  the  soil,  so  that 
the  roots  of  the  young  trees  do  not  get  anything  like  a proper 
supply.  The  evajioration  from  turfed  soil  has  been  proved  by 
experiments  made  at  the  Woburn  Experimental  Fruit  Farm  to 
he  three  or  four  times  that  from  cultivated  ground.*  In  drv 
seasons  the  effect  upon  young  trees  would  naturally  he  most 
disastrous.  One  constantly  sees  young  trees,  ])lanted  in  grass 
orchards  with  grass  close  around  them,  stunted,  starved-looking. 
and  often  dying.  When  fruit  trees  are  j)ut  in  to  fill  up  blanks  in 
established  orchards,  spaces  of  at  least  from  2 ft.  to  3 ft.  should 
be  left  free  from  herbage  round  the  young  trees  for  some  years. 
Weeds  must  not  be  allowed  to  collect,  as,  though  their  action 
is  not  nearly  so  deadly  as  that  of  grass,  they  rob  the  trees  of 
nutrition  and  moisture.  In  the  Second  Report  of  the  Woburn 
Experimental  Fruit  Farm  for  ] 900,  the  practice  of  letting 
grass  grow  round  young  trees  is  strongly  condemned,  and  the 
results  of  careful  experiments  show  that  not  only  are  the 
growth  and  vigour  of  the  trees  seriously  impaired,  but  the 
colour  and  (ptality  of  the  fruit  are  materially  damaged,  and 
this  is  even  more  strongly  emphasised  in  the  Third  Report  for 
1903.  Bush  fruits,  as  currants,  gooseberries,  strawberries, 
and  ras2)berries  are  grown  on  cultivated  land  ; and  cob-nuts — 
as  the  cob-nut  tree  is  a long  liver — are  usually  placed  beneath 
standard  trees  under  cultivation.  Trees  on  the  Paradise  or 
dwarf  stocks  should  always  remain  under  cultivation. 
The  land  intended  for  the  trees  should  be  steam  ploughed 
and  the  subsoil  plough  employed  where  necessary.  Trenching 
is  too  expensive  an  item  on  a large  area.  The  holes  for  the 
standard  or  ])yramid  trc(is  should  be  dug  out  G ft.  in  circum- 
ference, the  dej)th  being  guided  by  the  subsoil.  If  the  subsoil 
is  kindly  working  it  may  be  chop})ed  uj)  with  the  top  soil,  but 
if  it  is  harsh  and  unkindly  it  is  better  left  alone.  On  heavy 
chavs  a compost  of  road  sidings  may  be  added  with  advantage. 
The  tree  should  be  planted  firmly  but  not  too  deej)ly.  In  the 
case  of  wet  soils  it  may  be  j)laced  on  a slight  mound.  Two 
stakes  must  be  placed  to  the  tree  joined  by  a hay  or  straw 
band,  care  being  taken  to  have  the  ligature  high  up  the  stem 
to  prevent  the  top  being  snaj)])ed  off  by  rough  winds.  These 
stakes,  if  renewed,  should  be  driven  into  the  old  positions,  as,  if 
their  situation  is  altered,  they  may  bruise  or  pierce  some  of  the 
roots,  and  the  ligatures  should  be  frequently  examined  to  see  if 
' See  Note  on  ‘'Tlic  Effect  of  Giass  on  Apple  Trees,”  by  Spencer  U. 
Pickering,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  Journal  R.A.S.E.,  Vol.  64,  1903,  pp.  36.5-37(i. 
