PLANTING. 
49 
injurious, and is often done. Because drainage is good for some lands, all 
are drained. It thus happens that soils lying on porous strata, already 
perhaps almost over-drained by nature, are injured by being drained again 
by art. Stagnant water must, however, be got rid of. It is disease or death 
to apple trees, and sure and certain disappointment to cultivators. As the 
soil should average from 18in. to 30in. in depth for apples, it follows 
that draining to be efficient should be from 3|-ft. to 4ft. in depth. Shallow 
drains are of but little use in an orchard or apple garden, for not only will 
the roots bore beyond them and so reach wet soil, but they will also get into 
them, and so block and utterly ruin the drains, and render them, in fact, 
of no effect. This incessant seeking and finding of drains by the roots of 
trees is one of the most mysterious natural occurrences, which is fraught 
with stultifying results to the shallow drainer. On the other hand, how¬ 
ever, deeio drains are not found to draw the roots down to their destruc¬ 
tion or to that of the tree. Placed a certain distance below the main 
roots, the latter keep near the surface, seemingly unconscious of the 
drains. 
Having thoroughly drained the ground intended for the cultivation 
of apples, or at least carefully examined it to see if it needs artificial 
drainage, its quality will be revealed by either process. If of a light 
gravelly or sandy character, it may be much improved by clay, marl, 
strong burnt earth, and manure. Though rich loams would be injured 
for apple culture by the addition of manure, that is no reason why 
poor lands would not be improved by it. But the more durable con¬ 
stituents, such as clay, marl, &c., are more useful for changing light 
soils into earths heavy enough for apple culture. Occasionally trenching 
and carefully admixing the surface soil with a portion of the stiffer 
subsoil, will convert light lands into good soils for the apple. These 
strong earths give to light lands those binding and holding qualities 
so essential to the successful cultivation of most fruits. Heavy soils, 
again, may be ameliorated, lightened, and warmed by drainage, the 
addition of sand, lime, chalk, vegetable refuse, burnt earth, and other 
matters. But, where the soil approaches to sheer clay, it is often the 
cheapest course in the end to remove masses of it bodily in circular 
spaces, 6ft. or 9ft. in diameter and 2ft. deep, and replace the stiff 
tenacious clay with good rich loam from a neighbouring pasture. Loam 
can also be purchased at reasonable prices by those who have no pastures 
of their own, or manorial rights over waysides or commons. Where so 
much good soil cannot be had, it is well to give the trees a start if 
only a yard of good earth could be provided for each. By the time the 
roots reached the extremity of the artificial soil, the ameliorating influence 
here recommended would have gone far to render the most ungenial 
