The Sauk Centre herald., 1907-02-28
ARRANGEMENT
OFTREES
A Discussion OF the Three Systems O
Paintings by Prof. Harvey +.
Price, HorticuIturist, vir-
Qinia Station.

The owner who plants an orchard
Is confronted in the outset by the i'm
portant question of planting plans
that is, arrangement and distance Of
trees. Many specific plans for plant
ing trees have been described from
time to time, but those plans falling
under the systems known as square
quincunx and septuple or triangular
planting are the most popular.
Purely square planting does not
favor the use q filters OF double plant
ing, inasmuch as the cutting of per-
manent distances IN half will leave
the trees tCo close together for good
results. This is true even where the
filler trees arc removed early in the
life of the orchard, Double planting
is desirable because it enables us 10
make full use of the land while the
orchard is young. BY converting per-
manent squares into temporary quin-
cunxes (note the accompanying plan)
we secure an ideal plan for double
planting. Thus, by planting our filler
at the intersection of the diagonals
of 4O-foot square, we get five trees
in the square with the central tree
standing about % feet from the per-
manent ones. This is an almost ideal
distance for apple trees for the first
ten or Is years of their bearing stage.
This system of planting is not con-
fined to the apple, however, but may
be employed with other fruits as well.
The practice of mixing different kinds
of fruit trees in the same block is
never advisable; the filler should al
ways be of the same kind of fruit az
the permanent trees; 1t is usually q
different and quicker bearing variety.
In septuple planting, the trees form
equilateral triangles. The chief claim
made for this method is that the trees
are more evenly distributed than by
any other-every tree being equi-dis-
tant from the adjacent members of it's
group. Moreover the trees in one row
alternate with those of the next, which
is an advantage in especially windy
locations Although this system does
not lend itself readily to double plant
ing, yet it does not prohibit it. Fig. 2
using filters in connection with per-
manent triangles. By introducing
filters in different ways, quite vari-
ETY. OF distances may be secured. This
also meets the condition of the home
orchard, inasmuch as we may approx
mate the ideal distances for the diff
ferent kinds OF fruit grown without
modifying the general planting plan.
For example, if apple trees are plant
ed in permanent angles, 40 feet apart,
then, by planting an additional tree
in the center of each triangle, we
create a system Of smaller triangles
with trees standing approximately %
feet apart, which is very good dis
tance for standard pears and sweet
cherries.
For plums, peaches and sour cher.
ries, an additional tree may be plant
ed between the corner 4O-foot trees
thus converting the plan into til.
feet apart; or trees may be set in the
center of the 23-foot triangles, giving
a distance of approximately 13 feet be-
tween the trees. The 20-foot triangles
reduce in the same manner to approx
nately II feet. Thus, almost any dis.
lance can be secured through the vari-
GUS methods Of reducing the triangle.
Where square planting is adopted,
standard apples should be planted
from 35 to 40 feet apart; dwarf ap-
pies on Doucin stocks, ten to Is feet
apart; pears and cherries, 20 to 25
feet apart; peaches and plums, Is to
90 feet apart Some variation is al
iowed for differences OF variety and
condition of soil.