The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-05-20
Uniformity in Tree Planting.


Many farmers delay setting out fruit
trees till they have a piece Of ground
well prepared for an orchard and the
means to purchase variety Of apple, 4
pear, and cherry trees. They desire for
some reason TO have large number Of
trees mature Mt once and to commence
TO produce fruit ut the same time. They
have little regard for method in plant
ing annual crops, but they are very
anxious TO plant fruit trees with mathe-
matcal precision. They are careless
about the arrangement Of other things
in the field and garden, but they think
that fruit trees must stand like files Of
soldiers on dress parade. Farmers
whose fences are crooked and who new
er plow straightfurrows or have straight
rows OF corn or potatoes, will be at great
pains TO set fruit trees on exact lines
They are at no painstO have the ends Of
plowed field straight, but they will be
very particular in setting fruit trees so
that they will form rows in each direc-
ton
Fruit trees do not suffer for want Of
companionship, Solitary trees ordina-
rily live and thrive as well as those that
arc near others Trees may afford mu-
tual protection, but it is often the case
that they cause mutual injury by stand
ing quite close together Their roots
often spread SO that they occupy ground
in common; their branches shade each
other, and insects find it easy to pass
from tree to tree. A fruit tree once es-
tablishcd in n solitary position is almost
certain TO become strong and hardy, It's
branches will be near the ground aud
they will be firmly united to the trunk
A fruit tree standing by itself is gencr-
ally very productive. : Its fruit ripens
well because it has the full benefit of
the suns rays, The tree becomes large
for the reason that its roots can spread
in all directions and 10 q long distance
and not come in contact with Others. --
1t is likely to attain great age on ac-
count Of the hardness it acquires. The
pear and apple trees that are reported
as producing remarkably large crops
generally stand by themselves and in
somewhat exposed situations. MANY Of
the oldest and most productive fruit
trees in the Eastern States were planted
outside Of orchards Sometimes they
were planted beside huge powders or
| by the side Of ravincs where the pillow
could not be worked The sides Of
streams and rayincs are favorable places
forplantingfru trees. A tree standing
| by itself is quite certain to receive at
tention 1t is readily seen and injuries
to il are noticed. When a farmer has
but q few trees, and is in need of fruit,
be is likely TO take proper care Of them.
He will not allow them to become in
tested by insects.
II ali orchard is designed TO contain
IA trees, il would be an excellent plan
| TO plant twelve trees this season and
each year or each second year thereaf-
ter to plant twelve more. The trees
planted each season would constitute a
row, and the orchard when completed
would be in the form of a square. By
commencing with few trees a farmer
would gradually become accustomed to
the care of them. In the west it is ne
cessary TO renew fruit trees quite often
This is especially true OF cherry trees,
and pear and apple trees that commence
to bear early. The same trees cannot
be relied upon to produce fruit formauy
wears in succession. There is. another
strong argument for setting out trees at
| different times A constant improve
mcnt is going on in all kinds of fruit -
A farmer may set out the best varieties
known this year, but in a few years
| there will be varieties vastly superior to
them in quality of fruit as well as pro-
| ductiveness. BY planting few trees
| at stated intervals one can secure all the
| best varieties known at TIE time Of set
ting, and in that way keep up with the
progress of Improvement The plan Of
setting out an orchard in the way sug-
gestcd commends itself to persons of
small means.