384 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
the gravel, and the tops shall come within six inches of the 
surface of the ground, letting the tree stand in the centre of the 
square. If stones were used, they should be so mixed with the 
earth as to constitute a drain, which will be done by mingling 
the stones and surface soil in such proportions as would make 
a gravelly soil. 
If the excavation he not made through to the sand and 
gravel, then it should not be less than six feet deep in all, and 
at least three feet of it should be filled with stones, lime stones 
if they can be got—the smaller the better—over which may be 
placed a layer of turf, and the hole filled as before, except the 
sticks and stones in the soil may be dispensed with in this in¬ 
stance. These stones, occupying a cubic yard immediately 
under the tree, will afford an under-drain as long as the tree 
shall live, if it be not more than a century. 
In the limestone region no other manure will be needed in 
the planting of fruit trees, than such as is contained in the 
surface soil. This does not apply to the after culture of the 
trees, of which I shall speak presently. 
This method of drainage by excavation and filling with 
stones will answer for all the clay soils, as well as the lime¬ 
stone lands, with this difference, that the land should be so 
selected and cultivated, that the holes under the trees will 
never fill with water, if it can be prevented by surface drain¬ 
ing. 
I come now to speak of the next great region of country 
into which the State is divided—the sand region; and to an¬ 
swer the question which is frequently asked, “Can fruit be 
raised on these sand lands in Wisconsin?” To thia question 
I answer unhesitatingly, yes. All the ridges where the rocks 
occasionally crop out and both straight burr and white oaks 
flourish, contain clay in the soil formation, and on these, apples 
and other hardy fruits will grow, if it be under-drained, as well 
as in any portions of the State. Fruit trees can be raised on 
the sand ridges, in the following manner, and I choose an ex¬ 
treme case: A white or yellow sand ridge, the native home of 
the black jack oak, and where hickory pine flourishes or rather 
