GENERAL FRUITS. 33 
That extra deep planting does not tend to prevent the trees from 
leaning from the prevailing winds, I have long since been satisfied 
of. That the tops of deep set trees are more liable to winter killing 
looks reasonable because the growth would not naturally cease so 
early in the fall. 
THE NEW DRESS. 
Plant trees only that have been carefully dug and properly hand- 
led, with as many of the roots intact as possible; prune back the 
tops so they do not overbalance the root. Set in holes large enough 
to receive the rootsin natural position and no deeper than the whole 
ground has been broken, or plowed and ameliorated. Be sure that 
the fine soil comes in contact with the roots at every point and pack 
it firmly about and over them, and when finished let there be from 
three to four inches of fine mellow soil over the roots. The tree 
should stand from one to four inches deeper than it did in the 
nursery, and according to the nature of the soil in which it is 
set—for a very loose soil deeper than for clay loam. If the location 
is such that more earth is needed, put it on top instead of making 
the hole deeper. Another of the “old ideas” about planting orch- 
ards was to set the trees to stand from thirty-two to sixty feet apart, 
so that they could be plowed and dug about and dunged and give 
the roots a chance to run outin search of food without rubbing 
some other tree;so that the tops would develop broad and spreading 
and be able to support much fruit, and so that the sun and air would 
get in and give color and quality to the fruit. In this state a newer 
idea has crept in, and of late years close planting is becoming an 
almost universal practice. One plea for it is that it may afford pro- 
tection to the trees; and yet those who claim it disapprove of the 
protection afforded by timber belts and windbreaks. 
For small gardens and dwarf varieties it may be best, but for or- 
chards too close planting will not prove a success. Fruit-bearing 
trees need digging about, plowing, cultivating and manuring, as 
much now as they did in the olden time. In a few years both the 
roots and tops of close-planted trees intersect each other and begin 
carrying on a system of robbery, robbing the soil of fertility and 
the fruit of air and sunshine. Shade of the ground and lower 
branches invite disease and premature death, and the trees soon lose 
much of their vitality and languish, or starve. They are not able to 
produce large crops of fruit or bring any to the greatest perfection, 
except upon the topmost branches. The close-planted orchard 
furnishes the best of environments for the propagation of scab and 
other fungus diseases that are detrimental to fruit growing, also 
extreme drouths are more damaging than to the close planted 
orchard. 
The new dress is to run the rows of trees north and south, with 
the rows from thirty to sixty feet apart, the trees in the rows stand- 
ing from twelve to twenty feet apart to protect each other. They 
will still get about all the benefits afforded by the old style of dis- 
tant planting and give the same opportunity for cultivating, manur- 
ing and getting about by only going between the rows. By this 
system one-half of the trees may be removed when they get to crowd- 
