Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-11-30
FARM AND HOSEHOLD.
EVILS or CLOSE PLANTING.

EVILS or CLOSE PLANTING.
A common errOc in planning tu't
trees is iu setting them 200 closely,
especially apple trees. The SCUM
suffers more from this pracuee than
any other section. the reasons
for this suicidal policy are lencr-
ance OF natural laws governing the
growth of vegetation, the persiS'
fence and responsiveness OF can
yassers who wish TO sell as many
trees as possible, and the ambition
TO have many varieties on a small
plot of ground. The cyl effects
are not percepuble at first. VINE
the trees grow rapidly aud the
roots are comparatively small no
bad results are apparent. but
when the trees havecome to bearing
age. the result disappo,nts am
disheartens all who are led into thiS
fatal blunder. In the South, where
warmth and sunshine demand more
moisture and plant food to sustain
the tree daring a long period oil
growth, together with fruit pro-
duction, trees and vines should be
set so as to avoid the robbery OF
either moisture or plant food from
one tree by another. Wlere tre' 3
or vines are planted so closely that
the roots iDterlace each other, the
effect during a protracted drought
is disastrous.
= A promising orchard ct three
70 1dred trees, the property OF a
N ighbor OF mine, just beginning
to bear. and on which the owner
realized 5000 last season, was
sacrificed TO this cloSe-planung
policy. The trees, which one year
ago showed evidence Of health and
vigOr, have assumed a sickly APP
pearsnce. Cutting out every al
ternate tree, with a liberal dressing
of fertilizers, will save the orchard
if the owner has the intelligence
and nerve to do it at once. Bat
what a loss to the soil, this pro
duction Of one hundred and fifty
trees which can only be "cut down
and cast into the fire." And "the
survival of the fitteslr will be set
back two years at least by thls
plan of planting and then thinning
an OrchdrC. Tie apple tree de-
mands a rich moist soil. Ii these
conditions are furnished, 10 as
sumes large proportions and gives
immense yields. Why, then, dwarf,
starye and mutilate? Is it not bet
ter to have FIVE thrifty trees pro-
duclng fifty bushels OF healthy fine
fruit than fifty trees with fifty
bushels of wormy, knOtty, gnarly
specimens fit only for pigs and
thieving Migrants? In the latter
Instance the soil is taxed TO pro-
duced the wood of fifty trees IN.
stead of five. The cost of purchas.
ing, planting, etc, all contributes
towards swelling the contrast IN
the amount paid out. In the first
instance you will be rewarded with
satisfa Glory results; in the latter
there will be disappointment, loss
of time and money and a failure 70
realize when your orchard comes
in bearing. The same results com
paratively, though rot so ra%d5,
manifest themselvs- with regard
TO theurvne. Too close planting
will sooner or later result dis
astrously. The proper distance
for setting apple trees is from
thirty to forty feet; for the grape
not less than fourteen to eighteen
feet for vigorous growing vines.-
OF course varieties, methods of
training, root.pruning, tOpdressing,
etc, will modify these figures with
regard to grapevines, bat better
have them too far apart than too
closely Correspondent
of american AgricUlturist.