24 STATE HORTICULTURA.L SOCIETY. 



would likely hesitate about cutting either down until both would be 

 rained. So, in view of these facts, I would not advise that the orch- 

 ards be too closely planted so that the ^trees could not remain as 

 planted after they were grown. 



Mr. Goodman — I am sure that that is the very reason the trees 

 should be so planted. I have planted them that way, and it is not hard 

 for me to thin them out, and cut one out here and there as wisdom 

 would dictate, in view of the fact that 1 planted the orchard for com- 

 mercial purposes and it would bring me in more money to plant them 

 thick at first, and afterward cut out where they were crowded. I have 

 planted orchards with the trees 16 feet apart, or less, and have got 

 enough money out of the orchard to pay for the orchard, the land and 

 all, and then would chop them down after they had served their pur- 

 pose. One time I had persons come to me and state that if I did not 

 stop chopping good trees down they would have me arrested. But it 

 was not any of their business how I managed my orchard, and I thought 

 I had a right to plant and manage my orchard in the way that would 

 bring me the most money, as that was what I was after. And I was 

 making money out of planting it that way and continued it. The best 

 way to manage a commercial orchard is to have the trees planted close 

 together when they are young. In my opinion that is better than giv- 

 ing them enough room to grow in and have them widely separated 

 when young, and let them grow until they get 8 or 10 years old, or 7 

 years old. If you can get them to bear at five years you can get two 

 or three or more good crops by that time. I consider that if I can get 

 a few bushels of apples from a tree that it pays for itself and the 

 orchard. I always plant my orchards in squares both ways. That is 

 the best plan for me. I can angle the other two ways. I like this plan 

 better than any other, for I can give up the land better that way. The 

 great trouble is growing fruit trees too long in an orchard. If you 

 have planted your trees 15 or 16 feet apart, you will give up that 

 ground to the orchard much sooner. That is the best way — not to 

 keep the same land for the orchard too long at a time. That is the 

 trouble and cause of the failure of many orchards all through the 

 west, for the reason that they let the orchards grow too long and get 

 such bad shape. It is best to take the virgin soil and raise just as few 

 cropa off it as possible, but let the trees have the whole benefit of the 

 land. If I could afford it I would plant an orchard and never grow 

 but one crop on it, and that would be apples year after year. As long 

 as that orchard stands you will have fruit from it. In 20, years if that 

 orchard fails to bear, it is no trouble to plant it again. Fruit trees are 



