EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS, 219 



trees, while small, have plenty of room but, after a few years have passQd, 

 they begin to crowd. Such close planting is not advisable unless one has 

 an abundance of trees, when it may be economy of space to plant as above, 

 and, when the branches meet, take out every other one so that they will be 

 eighteen by twenty-four feet. At this distance, almost exactly one hun- 

 dred trees will go upon one acre. With the trees twenty by fifteen feet 

 there will be the same chance to go between the rows one way as when 

 they are twenty by twenty feet, and one hundred and forty-five trees can 

 be set to the acre, or one third more than when the square is used. 

 After the trees are five or six years old, they will interlace and the crops 

 will be but little larger than would be borne by the smaller number of 

 trees. The same objection will hold against the trees planted twenty-two 

 by sixteen feet, and at either distance it will be more difficult to cultivate 

 than when they are in squares. 



A third method of planting, known as the quincunx, or triangular 

 arrangement, consists in arranging the trees in diagonal lines across the 

 orchard, and thus making room for about one eighth more trees than can be 

 planted by the square method, with the trees the same distance apart. 



METHODS OF AREANGING TREES. 



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Sqaaxes. Rectangles. Qaincanx. 



This is an increase worth considering, but the distance between the rows 

 will be decreased in the same proportion, and this is a serious objection. 

 It does not hold, however, when the trees are placed twenty feet apart in 

 the rows and the rows are at the same distance. In this way the same 

 number of trees can be set and there will be an increase of about one 

 eighth in the distance measured diagonally between the trees, which will 

 then be about twenty-two and one half feet apart. While this distance 

 will be desirable on rich soil, if the orchard is to be on light sand or sandy 

 loam, the other may answer. 



In laying out the land, it is a good plan to first stake it off into squares 

 not over four hundred feet on a side. If two opposite sides are marked 

 with stakes, at intervals the same as the proposed distances between the 

 trees, the location of the trees can be fixed by stretching a line or wire 

 marked at the proposed distances, and setting stakes at those points. A 

 No. 14 galvanized wire will be found best for the purpose, as it will not 

 stretch, and the trees can be more accurately located. The points for the 

 trees can be marked on the wire by twisting around it a short piece of 

 small wire and fastening it in place by means of a drop of solder. If a 

 garden line is used instead of a wire, one should be selected that will not 

 stretch, and the distances can be marked by tying short pieces of twine 

 about it. The holes for the trees should be about one foot deep and 

 eighteen inches in diameter, varying with the size of the roots and the 

 character of the soil. The trees should be set sufficiently deep that the 



