Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-20
Starting An Apple Orchard

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Various methods of laying out an
orchard may be followed. AS IN
the case of most other things, how
ever, there are not many plans Which
will prove equally efficient. The
choice of the best one is therefore
a matter of great moment, for I'M
less the orchard is properly laid out
success in it's management and han
ding can never be attained. Start
ing an orchard is a big undertaking.
1t means the beginning of project
that will probably be in full force
Therefore why undertake to lay out
an orchard in a haphazard manner?
Why not secure the best information
and advice obtainable? Why not
proceed along thoroughly construc-
tive and approved lines? =, by not
do the thing efficiently if it is to be
taken UP at all? If advice of this
character had always been sought
and followed thousands of orchard
failures which we now observe in
travelling about over the country
would have been avoided, many heart
burns would have been prevented.
and thousands Of dollars saved to
speculative landowners.
The methods best adapted to Geor-
gia and the plan of procedure to
follow out have been carefully in
vestigated and worked out. The
SOSSSSIAOIlS lie horticultural uANl-
sion of the Georgia State College of
Agriculture offers along this line are
encompassed in the brief presented
in association with this article.
The two systems followed in lay
ing out Georgia orchards are the
square and the terrace. Where the
land is sufficiently level to warrant
cultivation in both directions, set
ting on the square is probably the
better method. 1t is quite an easy
matter to lay out an orchard on this
plan. the trees being set from 35 to
40 feet apart.
The laying-out of a terrace is
much more difficult proposition.
Some of the up-to-da orchardists in
the northern sections of Georgia
have evolved system Of terraced
orchards that seems to be peculiar
to the section. Through the use OF
level, transit or homemade level,
contours are established on the hill
side.
The homemade level is a two-by-
four, 10 feet long with carpenters
spirit level fastened in the center
at right angles. At either end of
the pole, strips 8 feet long are
nailed, for legs. These prevent too
much STOPPING by the operator and
also act as guides in determining
the height of the contours.
The starting point of the first
contour is established as desired
The level is set up, sighted along
and stakes driven at each successive
leveling point. By this method a
contour can be established along the
hill practically on a dead level.
About a three-foot drop is advisable
IN establishing the next contour. The
most accurate and probably the boat
way to establish contour is to use
an ordinary surveying level.
after the contour is located, a
double furrow is Flowed to start the
terrace. The whole terrace from one
contour line to the other may be
the hill. Or strip may be left I'M
p1owed near the edge Of the lower
terrace on which the trees can be
planted. This is much more prefer
able than planting trees on the con-
tour as is often practiced. It leaves
space between the trees and the
lower contour for cultivation, spray
Ing and easier harvesting.
By blowing so as to continually
throw the dirt down hill, eventually
there will be a level piece of land be-
tween the contours, when, of course,
as on level ground.
It is advisable to have the terrace
slope rather than to have a direct
?all: The slope will admit Of grass
the incline is so steep that the
space between terraces is too mar
row to allow of one row of trees,
1t is advisa bic to plant on the con-
tours and keep the orchard in sod
throughout it's life.
This terrace and contour planting
does not, of course, allow of straight
rows. but as near as possible the rows
should be from So to 40 feet apart
and the trees should be planted at
n in
1y speaking, the Georgia apple or
chard should be handled on the ter
race plan, ard wherever possible it is
advisable to have every third ter
race wide enough for a road and
thus facilitate hauling.
A practice which. is quite common
IN north Georgia is to set a tenn
porary tree between each two per-
manent trees, making the rows 35
TO 40 feet apart, but the trees only
II to 90 feet apart in the row. The
tree planted between each of the per-
manent trees is called filler and
is usually an early bearing variety
which does not produce very large
tree.
The theory is that these filters will
come INTO bearing suff GENTLY early
20 produce two or three crops be-
fore they begin to crowd. the perma-
nent trees and thus reduce the cost
of bringing the orchard to a profit
able age. The theory is all right,
BUT the plaG breaks down seriously
in practice because the temporary
trees are seldom removed until they
have harmed the permanent trees
by crowding and rohbirg them of
llant food and water.
Few men have the determination
necessary to cut out the filters just
after they have begun to bear prof
table crops simply because it is
best i'll the long run. The tempta-
ton to leave them in "just one more
year" is too great for most men and
for that reason the practice cannot
be recommended. The practice which
is sometimes found of using peach
trees for filters in an apple orchard
is even less recommended, because
the two kinds of trees do not re-
'qufre the same care and the tempta-
ton Is too great to neglect the ap-
pies in order to get more returns from
the peaches.
Very little experimental work has
. been done in this state by dynamit-