, auoid it then by deepe trenching.

Some for this purpose dig the soile of their Orchard to receiue
moisture, which I cannot approue: for the roots with digging are
oftentimes hurt, and especially being digged by some vnskilfull seruant:
For the Gardiner cannot doe all himselfe. And moreouer, the roots of
Apples & Peares being laid neere day, with the heate of the Sun, will
put forth suckers, which are a great hinderance, and sometimes
with euill guiding, the destruction of trees, vnlesse the deluing be
very shallow, and the ground laid very leuell againe. Cherries and
Plummes without deluing, will hardly or neuer (after twenty yeares) be
kept from such suckers, nor aspes.

{SN: Grasse.}
Grasse also is thought needfull for moisture, so you let it not touch
the roots of your trees: for it will breed mosse, and the boall of your
tree neere the earth would haue the comfort of the Sunne and Ayre.

Some take their ground to be too moist when it is not so, by reason of
waters standing thereon, for except in soure marshes, springs, and
continuall ouerflowings, no earth can be too moyst. Sandy & fat earth
will auoid all water falling by receit. Indeed a stiffe clay will not
receiue the water, and therefore if it be grassie or plaine, especially
hollow, the water will abide, and it wil seeme waterish, when the fault
is in the want of manuring, and other good dressing.

{SN: Naturally plaine.}
{SN: Crust of the earth.}
This plainnesse which we require, had need be naturall, because to force
an vneuen ground will destroy the fatnesse. For euery soile hath his
crust next day wherein trees and herbes put their roots, and whence
they draw their sap, which is the best of the soile, and made fertile
with heat and cold, moisture and drought, and vnder which by reason of
the want of the said temperature, by the said foure qualities, no tree
nor herbe (in a manner) will or can put root. As may be seene if in
digging your ground, you take the weeds of most growth: as grasse or
docks, (which will grow though they lie vpon the earth bare) yet bury
them vnder the crust, and they will surely dye and perish, & become
manure to your ground. This crust is not past 15. or 18. inches deepe in
good ground, in other grounds lesse. Hereby appeares the fault of forced
plaines, viz. your crust in the lower parts, is couered with the crust
of the higher parts, and both with worse earth: your heights hauing the
crust taken away, are become meerely b