8 



There has been much diversity of opinion regarding the value of sub- 

 soiling in preparing the land for trees. But there is little room for doubt 

 that it is of much benefit on land where the subsoil is hard and impervious 

 to water. The subsoiler should follow in the furrow of the ordinary 

 plow, loosening the subsoil as deeply as possible. Where this is not 

 done, clover roots are the next best thing as subsoilers. 



The preparation of the ground for planting should begin by a good 

 deep plowing in the fall, and it would be all the better if it could be rib- 

 bed up as is now frequently done in preparing ground in the fall for 

 spring seeding. This insures good surface drainage and quick drying 

 of the ground in the spring. ' All that would then be required in the 

 spring would be to harrow down the ridges and loosen up the ground 

 as deeply as possible with a spring tooth cultivator. 



Hexagonal. Sijuare. 



A comparison of the hexagonal and square systems of arranging trees in the orchard. 



Arrangement of Trees in the Orchard. 



There are several methods of arranging the trees in an orchard. 

 The plan usualy adopted is that known as the square. By this ar- 

 rangement the rows are planted the same distance apart each way, four 

 adjoining trees forming a square. A more economical plan is what is 

 known as the hexagonal arrangement, which admits of about fifteen per 

 cent, more trees per acre without any more crowding. In the hexa- 

 gonal arrangement the trees in one row are set alternately with those in 

 the next, six adjacent tres forming a hexagon and enclosing a seventh 

 in the centre. 



In laying out an orchard on the square, the first row is staked out 

 at whatever distance the trees are to be apart, and at this same distance, 

 the second and following rows may be staked out in the same manner. 



In laying out an orchard on the hexagonal plan, after the first row 

 has been staked at the desired distance, the position of the trees in the 

 second row and also the distance apart of that and the following rows may 

 be most easily found by taking two stout strings or wires, which after 

 being fastened to any two adjacent stakes in the first row, are yet equal 

 in length to the distance apart of these stakes, then drawing the free 



