380 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 June, 1918. 



A. H. SCHIER, Caldermeade. (Ayrshire.) 



Completed since last report, .3. Oertificated, 2. 



ORCHARD AND GARDEN NOTES. 



E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., Pomologist. 



The Orchard. 



Planting. 



The time has now arrived for the general planting of deciduous 

 fruit trees. The soil should have previously been well ploughed and 

 subsoiled, and, as far as possible, drained. To ensure satisfactory 

 results, it is essential that the orchard be subsoiled. Where expense 

 is a consideration, drainage may be left for subsequent years, but once 

 the orchard has been planted, it will be impossible to subsoil. 



When planting out, the distance between the trees will be determined 

 by the kinds to be planted. For ordinary deciduous fruiting trees it is 

 the custom in this State to plant them 20 feet apart in the rows, the 

 rows also being 20 feet apart. Results have proved this to be a satisfac- 

 tory practice. Almond trees may be planted 15 or 16 feet apart each 

 way, while walnuts, owing to their spreading habit, require a distance of 

 30 feet. 



Deep planting is not advocated, the general practice being that the 

 depth of planting in the nursery should be followed. If holes be dug, 

 they should be shallow, the bortom being merely loosened to allow a 

 comfortable friable bed for the tree roots. A good practice is to dig the 

 whole strip along which the trees are to be planted, merely removing 

 sufficient soil afterwards when planting. Another satisfactory custom 

 is to plough furrows 20 feet apart, and to plant the trees in the furrows, 

 filling in the soil over the roots and trampling well down. 



Before planting, the roots of the young trees should be well trimmed, 

 shaped to an even form, and cleanly cut. As the result of their removal 

 from the nursery beds, the roots are generally more or less damaged, 



