The Apple in .Oregon: Part I. 117 



moi.st. and enables the woniuls to "callus," a process necessary to the perfect 

 he.iUng of the wounds and the early and vigorous production of new rootlets. 

 When once tlie trees are rooted, pruned and heeled-in, they are in the best condi- 

 tion for awaiting the time for the next step — planting. 



THE TIME TO PLANT. 



In Western Oregon fall planting is to be advised. The soil tiller has less 

 rush work at this time ; the soil is usually in good worlcable condition ; trees set 

 out in tlie fall get fully settled into place before growing weather opens the fol- 

 lowing spring ; and, usually, a tree planted in the fall will have begun to put out 

 little roots before the soil is in fit condition for work in the spring. These con- 

 dititins all tend toward more favorable results from the work of transplanting. 



The following quotation from a letter written by Karl J. Stalkland shows how 

 the best orchardists of Eastern Oregon view tliis matter : 



I know of only one ob.iection to fall planting for this section, find tliat is, 

 that owing to lieavy falls of snow some of the trees might be broken down. This 

 occasionally occurs in this region, once in ten years, perhaps. I consider fall 

 planting advisable for tliis section because, if the hind is not prepared and the 

 trees set out in the fall, our cold, wet springs will so delay the work, often to 

 the extent of a month, that at least a third of the first season's growth will be 

 lost. Except for accidents, which might result in the death of a few trees, as 

 through the failure to keep stock out of the newly-set orchard, everything is to be 

 gained by fall planting. 



Good advice v/ould be to recommend that the site be well prepared in the 

 fall, and that trees be planted at the earliest possible moment in tlie spring. 

 Such a course, if followed, and tlie work done well and witli dispatch, would result 

 nine times out of t»n in satisfactory growth and the possibility of loss from 

 freezing out, breakage from heavy snow, and injury by loose stock would be 

 avoided. The chief difficulty v.-ith early spring planting is that it is quite im- 

 practicable to get tlie wet, unmanageable soil in close contact with the roots of 

 the newly-set tree. The usual disposition among young planters is to wait till 

 the spring planting fever tingles in the nerves. When this course is followed he 

 invariably loses heavily on tlie' first year's grovi'tli. and this greatly affects the 

 subsequent development of tlie tree. 



Distance to Plant — Austen, writing upon this topic over 200 years ago. says : 



He should choose to prescribe tlie planting of these trees fourteen to sixteen 

 yards asunder : for both trees and fruits have many great advantages if planted 

 -1 good distance one from another. The sun refreshes every tree, the roots, body, 

 and branches, with tlie blossoms and fruits ; whereby tlie trees bring fortli more 

 fruit, and those fairer and better. When trees are planted at a large distance, 

 much profit may be made of tlie ground under and about these trees by cultivating 

 garden stuff and small fruits. When trees have room to spread they will grow 

 very large and great, and the consequences of that will be not only multitudes of 

 fruits, but also long-lasting, and these two are no small advantages. Men are mis- 

 taken when they say the more trees in an orcliard tlie more fruit, for one or two 

 large trees wliich have room to spread will often hear more fruits than six or 

 ten of those that grow near together and crowd one another. IjCt men but ob- 

 serve some apple trees that grow a great distjince from other trees and liave room 

 enough to spread both tlieir roots and liranches, and tliey shall see fliat one of 

 those trees, having come to full growtli, hath a larger head, more boughs and 

 branches, tliau four, six or more which grow crowded near together, tliougli of 

 the same age. 



Most of the local nurserymen advise planting tlie apple from thirty to forty 

 feet apart, though formerly, when the large old orchards were planted, the usual 

 distance was sixteen and one-half feet. In more recent years, twenty to twenty- 

 four feet has been the more common practice. Recently some of the larger grow- 

 lers, like the Olwell Brothers, are taking the position that the trees in an apple 

 orchard should be planted at least thirty-six feet apart each way on the heavier 

 ■soils. For the first few years this seems like a useless waste of land. But if the 

 soil Is such as an apple orchard ought to be put upon, it will not be long before 

 it will be apparent that to successfully operate the implements of tillage, spray- 

 ing, and harvesting, the trees at thirty-six feet apart are close enough. Yet, not- 

 withstanding this position of many of the larger orchardists, as well as the 

 Eastern authorities, some of our most successful oi'chardists take exception to 



