ORCHARD PLANTING 



The planting of a peach orchard is as fine and de- 

 lightful a job as a man ever undertook on a farm. 

 The fruit grower comes to it with high hopes and 

 bright anticipations. The work is pleasant in itself, 

 and when well-organized goes on rapidly. 



The ground should be thoroughly prepared be- 

 fore planting begins. This will usually require thor- 

 ough, though rough, plowing the fall previous. Then, 

 if planting is to be done in the spring, the land 

 should be carefully fitted with the most appropriate 

 tools immediately before planting begins. This 

 selection of tools will depend largely on the char- 

 acter of the soil. The choice may be either the 

 spading harrow, the disk harrow, the spring-tooth or 

 the smoothing harrow, or the land may be replowed 

 if it is not too soddy. 



It is very important that the land be in a good 

 state of cultivation and well plowed to a consider- 

 able depth. This enables the young trees to make 

 a good start, a thing which is very important in the 

 setting of a peach orchard. Deep cultivation also 

 increases the water-holding reservoir. This is im- 

 portant throughout the life of the peach orchard. 

 Thorough fitting of the land by the use of the tools 

 already named is of great value also. A field in 

 first-class surface condition can be more rapidly and 

 neatly planted than one which is rough, half plowed, 

 full of stones and stumps. 



The soil should be dry enough to work without 

 puddling. Planting in wet, muddy soil may be a 



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