372 State Horticidtural Society. 



chief claim made for this method is that the trees are more evenly 

 distributed than by any other — every tree being equi-distant from 

 the adjacent members of its group. Moreover, the trees in one 

 row alternate with those of the next, which is an advantage in es- 

 pecially windy locations. Although this system does not lend itself 

 readily to double planting, yet it does not prohibit it. Fig. 2 il- 

 lustrates the different methods of using fillers in connection with 

 permanent triangles. By introducing fillers in different ways, 

 quite a variety of distances may be secured. This also meets the 

 condition of the home orchard, inasmuch as we may approximate 

 the ideal distances for the different kinds of fruit grown without 

 modifying the general planting plan. For example, if apple trees 

 are planted in permanent angles, 40 feet apart, then, by planting 

 an additional tree in the center of each triangle, we create a sys- 

 tem of smaller triangles with trees standing approximately 23 feet 

 apart, which is a very good distance for standard pears and sweet 

 cherries. 



For plums, peaches and sour cherries, an additional tree may 

 be planted between the corner 40-foot trees, thus converting the 

 plan into triangles, with trees standing only 20 feet apart ; or trees 

 may be set in the center of the 23-foot triangles, giving a distance 

 of approximately 13 feet between the trees. The 20-foot triangles 

 reduce in the same number to approximately 11 feet. Thus, almost 

 any distance can be secured through the various methods of re- 

 ducing the triangle. 



Where square planting is adopted, standard apples should be 

 planted from 35 to 40 feet apart; dwarf apples on Doucin stocks, 

 10 to 15 feet apart; pears and cherries, 20 to 25 feet apart; peaches 

 and plums, 15 to 20 feet apart. Some variation is allowed for dif- 

 ferences of variety and condition of soil. 



"Good times are made and fashioned of men's souls." 



LOUIS ERB ON BEN DAVIS. 



Cedar Gap, Mo., October 17. 



Editor Fruit Trade Journal — In a recent issue you refer, in a 

 complimentary manner, to the Ozark Ben Davis, which is all right 

 and quite the proper thing to do for honest trade papers ; but why 

 at the same time you should refer to your humble servant as "Poet 

 Erb" is beyond my ken. I can only account for it on the hypothesis 



