American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1908-01-04
HOW TO PLANT
AN ORCHARD
Washington 0rch1dist Tells
His Methods.
Number Of Trees 10 Aere--Fillers Not
Desirable. varieties And Soil They
Shssh Have Air Naisase
Important Fsetos.

Jack Evans, of Okanoxsn. Wash. "a
Columbia valley nurseryman and frui.
grower. tells. in the following article.
how he would lay out and plant ali or
chard:
After having made up your mind 10
plant an orchard. the first thing to be
considered. usually. l. selecting the site.
The most important thing To b~ eonssd-
cred u the air drainage with reference
To the resultant frost effects and is
influence upon the different fruits. and
tbs sdaptAbiiity Of the different, soils to
thc different varieties Of fruit. II there
are several distinct soils. from heavy
clay To almost pure sand. and il the best
results are 10 be- attained. this factor
must be considered.
The upper levels or benches are gen.
orally sufficiently elevated above the
river ard the canyons opening into II
for the flowing down Of the cold air.
which creates n constant movement Of
the atmosphere and prevents the forma-
tion Of trusts. In the immediate viein.
ity Of the river and in the dcpr~sslons
from which there are no downward out.
lets shcrr is more OF less danger OF In
jury from frusis late in the spring.
What has been said Of air drainage
ard soils is true Of every locality. but
when you pass cu, Of an irrigated dis
triet another importan, factor is TO be
considered the water contents of the
soil and the influence of the different,
Slopes ard air currents upon the avail
able moisture. Hure comes = selection
Of varieties along diifcrcn, line. Upon
the different slopes thcr. Is not only a
difference in the amount Of moisture
contained IN The soil. bat there II also
difference in the temperature Of the
surface soil Both of these factors
must be taken into consideration. On
the southern slope ewing to its being
expo~cd to the prevailing wind and more
directly to the sunshine, the evapors-
ton Ia greater. Consequently the soil
Is dryer and warmer which tends TO
shorten the maturing season Of the
fruit. For this reason you can raise
upon the southern slope an apple that
requires longer season In which To ma.
turc than you can upon the northern,
slope where the .oil Ia more moist and
cooler. Some varieties require much
lcxs moisture in order to mature their
fruit For instance where n Rome
Beauty would mature In COED condition
Wincsap would be worthless from
want Of moisture. In the moist cool
situations of the higher attitudes where
Jonathan or Wagner would bc per
fectiy at home. such long season apples
N tho Newtown or Ben Davis would be
OF little value.
The core fruits with plenty Of moist
urc. will thrive upon any Of our soils.
The stone fruits, except plums. do best
upon the warmer. sander locations. All
summer fruits need less moisture than
those that require the whole of the
growing season In which to mature.
PREPARING THE GROUND.
Having selected the site for your or
charsi ard chosen the varieties suitable
therefor. the next question to be con-
sidered IL preparing the ground.
1t 10 better for any kind of land to be
worked for one season before planting
but in preparing bunch grass land. cs-
pccially where IL II to be irrigated. this
Il not absolutely essential. In prepar-
ing new land for planting, see that II is
well plowed and thoroughly narrowed.
Where the planting ia to be done in the
spring the land should be prepared in
the fall and should be gone over in the
spring just az early Ms possible with a
spring tooth harrow. ! would give il
no further preparation in our light. por-
Gus soils. In the heavy. clay soils ii
prepared in the fall previous to setting
"a very shallow blowing and thor
ough narrowing would be advisable.
PLANTING THE TREES.
In the arrangement of the trees in
the orchards there are two systems
, that are practiced the square and the
hexagon. The following diagrams will
indicate the two arrangements:
SQUARE.
Trees thirty feet apart each way.
o o o o o o o o
Square, set with filters. rows thirty
feet apart north and south. and trees
fifteen feet apart east and west. Fill
ers indicated by small dots.
o. 20. o. o. o o. o. o. 90.
900. o. o. o o o. o, 90.
rio. I.
HExA0ON.
Trees thirty-three feet apart each way,
0 Q 90 90
o o o Q o o o .
o, 90 o 90 o.
H1C H.