FRUIT CULTURE. 745 



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The apple trees have made a fine growth, and bear large crops of fruit. The cherry 

 trees in the apple rows begin to crowd them, and will soon be removed, while those standing 

 in the center of four apple trees will have plenty of room for many years, and can remain, 

 leaving as many rows of cherry trees forty feet apart as of apples on the same ground. 

 By pursuing the above plan, there may be taken from $200 to $300 worth of fruit 

 per acre annually, before the apple trees acquire size enough to bear much fruit, and thus 

 avoid the usual objection urged against the planting of apple orchards, viz. : that it requires 

 so long a time before any profit can be derived from the land thus occupied. The same 

 principle will apply to any distance between 30 to 40 feet, and each planter can decide for 

 himself according to the ground to be devoted to fruit. As the heaviest draught upon the 

 soil is when the fruit is ripening, if all matured at once they might exhaust it of moisture and 

 nourishment; but as they ripen gradually, following in succession, the intervening showers 

 supply each crop as well as if there were no other. By this plan we get 165 trees to the 

 acre, and it is much easier and cheaper to fertilize and cultivate 1 65 trees on one acre than to 

 have them spread over 5 or 6 acres, to say nothing of the land saved for other crops. Every 

 farmer should have at least one acre of orchard on the above plan, which should yield $5 per 

 tree. But at half that sum they will give more than $400 per acre, with less labor than other 

 crops that yield but small returns.&quot; 



Where the space is limited, such as in the suburbs of large towns and cities, a number of 

 trees may be planted by setting out a row a few feet from the fence, and extending around 

 the entire plot. Raspberries or other small fruit may be grown also to the fence and between 

 the rows of trees. By setting dwarf or small-growing trees on the south side of a garden, a 

 vacant space may be reserved in a small garden for vegetables. 



In localities exposed to cold and severe winds, it is well to plant a row of rapidly -growing 

 evergreens, such as pine or spruce, on the north and west sides of an orchard, as a protection, 

 the trees being set from five to fifteen feet apart. 



Ralph Waldo Emerson, i n referring to this method of protection to fruit trees, says: 

 &quot; This shelter creates a new climate. The wall that keeps off the strong wind keeps off the 

 cold wind. The high wall, reflecting the heat back on the soil, giv i that acre a quadruple 



share of sunshine, 



Enclosing in the garden square 

 A dead and standing pool of air, 



and makes a little Cuba within it, whilst all without is Labrador.&quot; A high, close board fence 

 on the north and west sides of an orchard will also prove a great protection from the cold 

 winds, but for large orchards the evergreen trees, closely set so as to break the force of the 

 wind, are better. 



Mapping Orchards and Labeling Trees. A small map of an orchard, giving 

 the relative location and kinds of trees, will be found of great convenience. Such a map 

 should be made at the time of planting, or shortly after, before the labels are obliterated or 

 lost. The trees should all be labeled, but the wires of the labels should be put on quite loose 

 and never be left on so long as to permit them to girdle the tree. Neglect in this respect has 

 ruined many valuable trees. The most durable labels are made by writing on zinc with a 

 common lead pencil. The form of label used by nurserymen in some localities consists of a 

 triangular piece of zinc five inches long, three-fourths of an inch at one end, and tapering to 

 a point at the other. The small end may be curled around a branch, and will easily keep its 

 place, while it will expand as the branch increases in size, and thus girdling is obviated. 

 Such labels can be easily cut out of a sheet of zinc with a pair of shears. When tin labels 

 are used in place of zinc, the name should be written with a sharp-pointed nail or awl. It 

 is a pleasure to know the names of the different varieties of fruit grown, while the fruit will 

 often find a better market when the variety is known. 



