The Van Buren press., 1894-12-15
FARMER AND PLANTER
PLANTING ORCHARDS.

Trees are bfteter set too close TO-
Rether than tot fat apart In fact; the
latter. error scarcely exists: Trees are
wide feeders, and the best fesults atS
obtained when each tree Stands ret
enough from its neighbors to allow 1t
to possess an individuality all its own.
An additional reason for sparse plant
ing has lately become important-the
necessity of spraying for insects and
fungus pests-and for this reason, as
we'll as to allow Of better cultivation,
the outside r5ws should not be set
close to fences. The distance at
which trees may be set depends
much upon the system OF prun.
ing. If heading-in is followed
vigorously and systematically, trees
may be set third nearer than 1t al-
lowed to take their natural form.
Heading-in should always be practiced
with dwarf pears, and many OF our
best growers pursue it with peac.es,
plums and ounces. For myself, have
always advised thin planting as the
safer rule for the majority 5f cases
The following table MAY be supposed
| to represent the outside average limit
for the planting of orchards, when the
trees are allowed to take their natural
| form:
Apples, 40 feet each way; pears,
standard, 20 to 25 feet; pears, dwarf,
| 10 feet to rod; ounces, 1rOd; peaches,
20 feet; plums, 90 feet; apricots, 20 feet;
grapes, 8xs to sx1O; currants, 4x6 to
6xs; blackberries, 4x7 to 6x0; raspber-
zies. 3x6 to 5x8.
These are safe distances In certain
cases, however, where the soil is strong
and the growef itiakes thorough work
Of cultivating. pruning, and fertiliz-
ing, these distances can be reduced
somewhat with profit, except in the
case OF apples. These remarks will
also apply to the common question
whether it is good policy to plant
short lived trees, as peaches, between
apples and pears. 1t all depends upon
the man. In general, I should dis
courage it, but If the orchardist gives
the very best attention to fertilizing
and cultivating, plantations can be
mixed with good results.
Plow the land and fit it we'll. AS all
orchards should be put into cultivated
crops for the first two years, ut least,
it will generally be found advisable to
plow the entire area before the or
chard is set, rather than to plow
strips where the trees are to 70,
for the land can then be shaped better
with reference to surface drainage and
general conveniences. The trees
should be set neither in dend burrows
nor on back burrows. Level culture
should generally be adopted from the
start, unless it is necessary to displace
surface water. and in that case it may
be questioned If the land is fit for an
orchard. In all ordinary soils, holes
must be dug by hand for the tree
fruits. Flowing out o deep furrow In
the line of the rows may lessen the
digging and aid in getting the trees in
line The hole should be dug broad
and ample, and the harder the soil the
larger ought the hole to be, for in that
case the loose dirt which is filled il
must give the tree its start. In loose
and deep soils. the hole need be M
larger than the spread of thu
roots. Chop up the soil in thu
bottom of the hole, or throw
in q few shovelfuls of loose surface
earth. The tree should be set an incl
or two deeper than it stood in tht
nursery, for the loose earth will settl,
and wash away in the course of th'
season, even II it is we'll packed wher
the tree is set. Dwarf pears should bt
set from three to six inches below
the bud. Every care must bt
exercised to get the soil thoroughly
firmed in about the roots-which ar,
Strengthened out in approximatcl,
their natural position-and especial!
under the crown or fork of the roots
in order that no air spaces may be lef
to dry out. The dirt can be bes
placed by lingering it in, NOV
ing the tree gently up and down a
the same time. Once or twice in tn,
progress of filling the hole, the eartl
should be stamped down. Fill tn,
hole to little more than level full, Il
carry off surface water, but be careful
that no hollows are left close abou
the tree into which water can settle
especially when painting in the fall
Stamp on the earth very firmly abou
the tree before leaving 1t, for th'
double purpose of retaining moistur
and OF holding the tree against winds
All this operation Of tree planting cal
proceed to perfection only when tn
earth is dry enough to crumble. Tree!
can not be we'll planted In wet an,
sticky soil.
If the trees are set according to thes
directions and the tops are cut back
there will rarely be any necessity TO
stalking and trying the trees to keel
them plumb.
Mulches of straw or manure ar,
sometimes advised for newly-sct trees
For trees planted late in the spring
and upon droughty soils, light mulcl
about the tree may be advised, but il
other cases it is not. If mulches ar,
applied to fall-planted trees, care mus
be taken to tramp them down we'll, o.
they may become nesting place fol
mice, which will girdle the trees i
there are heavy SHOWS. There ar,
those who favor placing forkful O.
manure in the bottom of the hole, bu
this is practice of doubtful value; and
at all events, the manure should bt
we'll mixed with the soil to prevent
drying out.-Prof. Bailey, in N. Y
Sun.
THREE BREEDS OF FOWLS.