ther trees doe) a blacke, fat, mellow,
cleane and well tempered soyle, wherein they may gather plenty of good
sap. Some thinke the Hasell would haue a chanily rocke, and the sallow,
and eller a waterish marish. The soile is made better by deluing, and
other meanes, being well melted, and the wildnesse of the earth and
weedes (for euery thing subiect to man, and seruing his vse (not well
ordered) is by nature subiect to the curse,) is killed by frosts and
drought, by fallowing and laying on heapes, and if it be wild earth,
with burning.

{SN: Barren earth.}
If your ground be barren (for some are forced to make an Orchard of
barren ground) make a pit three quarters deepe, and two yards wide, and
round in such places, where you would set your trees, and fill the same
with fat, pure, and mellow earth, one whole foot higher then your Soile,
and therein set your Plant. For who is able to manure an whole Orchard
plot, if it be barren? But if you determine to manure the whole site,
this is your way: digge a trench halfe a yard deepe, all along the lower
(if there be a lower) side of your Orchard plot, casting vp all the
earth on the inner side, and fill the same with good short, hot, &
tender muck, and make such another Trench, and fill the same as the
first, and so the third, and so through out your ground. And by this
meanes your plot shall be fertile for your life. But be sure you set
your trees, neither in dung nor barren earth.

{SN: Plaine.}
{SN: Moyst.}
Your ground must be plaine, that it may receiue, and keepe moysture, not
onely the raine falling thereon, but also water cast vpon it, or
descending from higher ground by sluices, Conduits, &c. For I account
moisture in Summer very needfull in the soile of trees, & drought in
Winter. Prouided, that the ground neither be boggy, nor the inundation
be past 24. houres at any time, and but twice in the whole Summer, and
so oft in the Winter. Therefore if your plot be in a Banke, or haue a
descent, make Trenches by degrees, Allyes, Walkes, and such like, so as
the Water may be stayed from passage. And if too much water be any
hinderance to your walks (for dry walkes doe well become an Orchard, and
an Orchard them:) raise your walkes with earth first, and then with
stones, as bigge as Walnuts: and lastly, with grauell. In Summer you
need not doubt too much water from heauen, either to hurt the health of
your body, or of your trees. And if ouerflowing molest you after one
day