PHAK (iKOWlNG IN CALIFORNIA. 297 



CHAPTER V. 



DISTANCE AND SYSTEMS FOR PLANTING AND NUMBER 

 OF TREES PER ACRE. 



There lias l)eeii a teudeiiey in the past to plant all fruit trees too close 

 together. This has been brought about because of a desire to attain 

 the niaxiuium production, which has very frequently been secured at 

 tlie expense of size, uniformity and quality. As most varieties of the 

 pear naturally urow upright, trees may be planted closer together than 

 many other (ieeidnous trees, c. g., apples, peaches and apricots. This 

 tendency of upright growth may be overcome to a large extent by 

 proper methods of pruning as discussed in another chapter. AVith the 

 present methods employed in priming our Bartlett pears the majority 

 of the growers have concluded that 20 x 20 feet is the best distance. 

 Out of a total of 72 owners of pear orchards in the counties of Alameda, 

 El Dorado, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Placer and Sacramento, thirty-one 

 preferred this distance. Among those who favored some other distance 

 were three who thought 21 x 21 feet to be best, six 22 x 22 feet, seven 

 24 X 2-4 feet, four 25 x 25 feet, two 26 x 26 feet, one 27 x 27 feet and one 

 30 x 30 feet. The remainder held opinions varying from 16 x 16 to 

 18 X 20 feet. The maximum distance of 30 x 30, as given by one grower 

 as the best according to his opinion, is probably a little greater than 

 is necessary. Twenty-five feet each way when planted on the square is 

 more nearly ideal, and while the space above ground will be pretty well 

 occupied by the branches of trees set at this distance, there will be little 

 if any crowding. The upright habit of growth occurs in its extreme 

 form when planting is closest, and may be overcome to a great extent 

 by planting wider apart. Fig. 12 illustrates an extreme type of spread 

 in the Bartlett due to good soil and plenty of room. 



Climatic and soil conditions should very largely determine the dis- 

 tance for planting. In some of the mountain counties of high altitude 

 the growing season is short and growth is much less than in the lower, 

 fertile, river-bottom sections, where maximum size is attained. In the 

 first case it might not be best to set trees over 18 feet apart each way, 

 while in the latter 25 x 25 feet would in many cases be more advanta- 

 geous. From observations that have been made in all the pear-growing 

 sections of the state, and from correspondence with many of the lead- 

 ing growers, the distance of 20 x 20 feet has been decided upon as being 

 best for standard trees under practically all conditions. When 

 planted at this distance there are 108 trees to the acre. 



Occasionally it is desired to interplant in a pear orchard with peaches, 

 prunes or otlier trees. In such cases the pear trees should be set not 

 closer than 80 feet each way on the square; in the middle of each square 

 a tree of the filler desired may be set, which will be 21 feet from each 

 tree on the four corners of the square. As the pear tree comes into 

 profitable bearing quite early (five to seven years) there is little advan- 

 tage to be gained by the use of fillers, and the practice of placing them 



79 



