The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-08-31
Methods OF Locating and Planting
Orchards,

In his valuable papers on horticultural
and kindred subjects, just published,
Mr.. William Saunders, superintendent
OF gardens and grounds of the agricul-
tural department at Washington, has the
following to say:
From the circumstance that fruit
orchards which are situated in valleys
and in low, sheltered places are not SO
healthy and prolific, and are more liable
to injury from changes of temperature
than those situated in more elevated and
exposed places, it has been argued that
all kinds of protection and shelter to
fruit trees should be condemned as inju-
rious, and that the coolest and bleakest
positions on northern slopes are greatly
to be preferred for fruits This is prob |
ably going from one extreme to another.
1t is conceded that one of the very worst
situations for fruit orchard is in the
rich land of a contracted, sheltered val
ley, Tor In such position the trees are
subjected to great extremes of tempera-
ture. A difference of 20 dogs. is not
uncommon between the temperature of
the valley and that of point on the
hillside sixty feet above it during peri
DDS of severe frosts. 1t is very evident
that such site would be of the worst
selection, and, so far as topography is
concerned, the elevated northern expos
ure would be greatly preferable; but,
sufficiently elevated site once selected, it
does not follow that it should not be
judiciously sheltered, locally, from the
exhausting effects of arid or cold winds.
The benefits Of local shelter are well
known and should not be compounded
with the evils which follow bad selec-
ton, as above stated.
1t is a common observation that the
outer rows of trees in established or
chards are finer and more productive
than the trees in the interior plantation.
This superiority is all the more conspicu-
GUS If the orchard is bordered by cult
waited fields, and it is fair to presume
that the extra luxuriance is owing to the
trees having greater extent of unoccu-
pied soil for the ramifcation of their
roots. Something is also undoubtedly
due to the greater space available for the
expansion and spread of the branches;
but 1t is in accordance with all expert
ence in the cultivation of plants that
rotation Of crops is absolutely essential
toward securing the best results of the
fertility of the SOIL Keeping these facts
in view, 1t is suggested that an improve
ment upon the present method of plant
ing orchards would be gained by plant
ing two rows of trees from eighteen to
twenty-five feet or more apart, depend
ing upon the nature of the trees, and al
ternating the plants in the rows. Then
allow a space, varying in extent from
3O0feet to any greater distance, before
planting another series of rows and so
increase the plantation as far as may be
desired. The intervening spaces between
these double rows of trees would be
available for the cultivation Of the Or
binary crops of the farm. The roots of
the trees would not only participate in
the benefits of cultivation, but would
also have practically unlimited room for
extension before meeting with other
roots Of their kind.
Immediately under the trees and for a
distance on each side of the rows as far
as the branches spread the surface could
be kept in grass. If not sown down i'm
mediately after planting, which might
not be desirable in all cases, it should be
done after the trees attain fruit bear
ing size, or from five to seven years after
setting out. The shelter which will be
Afforded to other crops by these orchards
Will be found valuable as protection
from winds, as well as forwarding early
crops. This method is particularly an
pl1cable to apple and pear trees.