The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-05-25
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,
pear, and cherry trees. They desire for
some reason to have large number of
trees mature at once and to commence
to produce fruit at 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-
matical 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 straight burrows or have straight
rows of corn or potatoes, will be atgreat
pains to set fruit trees on exact lines.-
They are at no pains to have the ends of
a piowed 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 we'll as those that
are 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-
tablished in solitary position is almost
certain to become strong and hardy. Its
branches will be near the ground and
they will be firmly united to the trunk.
A fruit tree standing by itself is gener-
ely 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 to 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 III the Eastern States were planted
! outside of orchards. Sometimes they
were planted beside huge powders or
by the side of ravines where the plow
could not be worked The sides of
streams and ravines are favorable places
| forplantin@ fruit trees. A tree standing
by itself is quite certain to receive at
tcntion. 1t is readily seen and injuries
to it are noticed. When a farmer has
but few trees, and is in need of fruit,
! he is likely to take proper care OF them.
| He will not allow them to become in
tested by insects.
If an orchard is designed to contain
| IA trees, it 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 square. BY
/ commencing with 4 few trees 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
u be relied upon to produce fruit for many
wears in succession. There is another
/ strong argument for setting out trees al
/ different times. A constant improve
ment is going ON in all kinds of fruit
A farmer may set out the best varieties
known this year, but in 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 the time of set
ting, and in that way keep up with the
progress of Improvement. The plan o.
setting out an orchard in the way sug
gested commends itself to persons O
small means.