ORC 
them have too much, or be too often watered, efpe- 
cially before they are rooted. When the plants be- 
gin to fhoot, you mall give them a large fhare of air, 
by raifingthe glaffes, otherwife their (hoots will draw 
up fo weak, as not to be able to fupport themfelves 
and after they have taken ftrong root, you fhould 
inure them to the air by degrees, and then remove 
them into the ftove where they fliould remain, placing 
them near the glaffes, which fhould always be open- 
ed in warm weather •, fo that they may have the ad- 
vantage of a free air, and yet be protected from wet 
and cold. 
During the fummer feafon thefe plants will require 
to be often refrefhed with water, but it muft not be 
given to them in large quantities left it rot them, 
and in winter this fhould be proportioned to the 
warmth of the {love; for if the air be kept very warm 
they will require to be often refrefhed, otherwife their 
branches will fhrink ; but if the houfe be kept in a 
moderate degree of warmth, they fhould have but lit- 
tle, for moifture at that feafon will rot them very foon. 
The heat in which thefe plants thrive beft, is the 
temperate point, as marked on botanical thermome- 
ters, for if they are kept too warm in winter, it caufes 
their fhoots to be very tender, weak, and unfightly. 
Thofe forts which are inclinable to grow upright, 
fhould have their branches fupported with flakes, 
otherwife their weight is fo great, that it will break 
them down. 
Thefe plants are by moft people expofed to the open 
air in the fummer feafon, but they thrive much bet- 
ter if they are continued in the ftoves, provided the 
glaffes be kept open, fo that they may have free air ; 
for when they are fet abroad, the great rains which 
generally fall in fummer, together with the unfettled 
temperature of the air in our climate, greatly dimi- 
nifh their beauty, by retarding their growth ; and 
fometimes in wet fummers they are fo replete with 
moifture, as to rot in the fucceeding winter ; nor 
will thofe plants which are fet abroad (I mean the 
tender forts) produce their flowers and fruit in fuch 
plenty, as thofe which are conftantly preferved in the 
houfe. 
ORANGE. See Aurantium. 
ORCHARD. In planting of an Orchard, great 
care fhould be had to the nature of the foil ; and fuch 
forts of fruits only fhould be chofen, as are beft 
adapted to the ground defigned for planting, other- 
wife there can be little hopes of their fucceeding •, 
and it is for want of rightly obferving this method, 
that we fee in many countries Orchards planted, which 
never arrive to any tolerable„degree of perfection, the 
trees ftarving ; and their bodies are either covered 
with Mofs, or the bark cracks and divides, both 
which are evident flgns of the weaknefs of the trees ; 
whereas, if inftead of Apples the Orchard had been 
planted with Pears, Cherries, or any other fort of 
fruit better adapted to the foil, the trees might have 
grown very well, and produced great quantities of 
fruit. 
As to the pofition of the Orchard, (if you are at full 
liberty to chufe) a rifing ground, open to the fouth- 
eaft, is to be preferred ; but I would by no means 
advife planting upon the fide of a hill, where the de- 
clivity is very great ; for in fuch places the great rains 
commonly wafh down the better part of the ground, 
whereby the trees would be deprived of proper nou- 
rilhment ; but where the rife is gentle, it is of great 
advantage to the trees, by admitting the fun and air 
between them, better than it can upon an entire level ; 
which is an exceeding benefit to the fruit, by diflipat- 
ing fogs and drying up the damps, which, when de- 
tained amongft the trees, mix with the air and render 
it rancid : if it be defended from the weft,' 1 north, and 
eaft winds, it will alfo render the fituation ftill more 
advantageous, for it is chiefly from thofe quarters 
that fruit-trees receive the greateft injury ; therefore, 
if the place be not naturally defended from thefe by 
riling hills (which is always to be preferred,) then you 
ORC 
fliould plant large growing timber-trees at feme diff 
tance from the Orchard, to anfwer this purpofe. 
You fhould alfo have a gleat regard to the diftance 
of planting the trees, which is what few people have 
rightly confidered ; for if you plant them too clofe, 
they will be liable to blights; the air being hereby 
pent in amongft them, will alfo caufe the fruit to be 
ill tailed, having a great quantity of damp vapours 
from the perfpiration of the trees, and the exhala- 
tions from the earth mixed with it, which will be im- 
bibed by the fruit, and render their juices crude and 
unwholfome. 
Wherefore I cannot but recommend the method which 
has been lately pradliled by iome particular gentlemen 
with very good fuccefs, and that is, to plant the trees 
fourfeore feet afunder, but not in regular rows. The 
ground between the trees they plough and fow with 
Wheat and other crops, in the fame manner as if it 
were clear from trees ; and they obferve their crops 
to be full as good as thofe quite expofed, except juft 
under each tree, until they are grown large, and af- 
ford a great fhade ; and by thus ploughing and tilling 
the ground, the trees are rendered more vigorous and 
healthy, fcarcely ever having any Mofs, or other 
marks of poverty, and will abide much longer and 
produce better fruit. 
If the ground in which you intend to plant an Or- 
chard has been pafture for fome years, then you fliould 
plough in the green fward thefpring before you plant 
the trees ; and if you will permit it to lie a fummer 
fallow, it will greatly mend it, provided you ftir it 
two or three times, to rot the fward of Grafs, .and 
prevent weeds growing thereon. 
At Michaelmas you fliould plough it pretty deep, in 
order to make it loofe for the roots of the trees, 
which fliould be planted thereon in Qdtober, provided 
the foil is dry ; but if it be moift, the beginning of 
March will be a better feafon. The diftance, if de- 
figned for a clofe Orchard, muft not be lefs than forty 
feet, but the trees planted twice that diftance will 
fucceed better. 
When you have finiflied planting the trees,- you 
fliould provide fome flakes to fupport them, other- 
wife the wind will blow them out of the ground; 
which will do them much injury, efpecially after they 
have been planted fome time ; for the ground in the 
autumn being warm, and for the moft part moift, 
the trees will very foon pufh out a great number of 
young fibres ; which, if broken off by their being 
difplaced^ will greatly retard the growth of the trees. 
In the fpring following, if the feafon fhould prove 
dry, you fhould cut a quantity of green fward, which 
muft be laid upon the furface of the ground about 
their roots, turning the Grafs downward, which will 
prevent the lun and wind from drying the ground, 
whereby a great expence of watering will be^faved ; 
and after the firft year they will be out of danger* 
provided they have taken well. 
Whenever you plough the ground betwixt thefe 
trees, you muft be careful not to go too deep amongft 
their roots, left you fhould cut them off, which would 
greatly damage the trees ; but if you do it cautioufly, 
the flirring the furface of the ground will be of great 
benefit to them ; though you fhould obferve, never 
to fow too near the trees, nor fuffer any great rooting 
weeds to grow about them, which would exhauft the 
goodnefs of the foil, and flarve them. 
If after the turf which was laid round the trees be 
rotted, you dig it in gently about the roots, it will 
greatly encourage them. 
There are fome perfons who plant many forts of fruit 
together in the fame Orchard, mixing the trees alter- 
nately ; but this is a method which fliould always be 
avoided, for hereby there will be a great difference 
in the growth of the trees, which will not only ren- 
der them unfightly, but alfo the fruit upon the lower 
trees ill tailed, by the tall ones overfhadowing them • 
fo that if you are determined to plant feveral forts 
of fruit on the fame fpot,. you fhould obferve to 
place ' 
455 
