Planting Distances. 109 



where the plants cannot attain any great size, close 

 planting is necessary ; the reverse being the case 

 where the climate is warm and humid and the soil 

 productive, and consequently likely to produce 

 large bushes. It is desirable that the branches of 

 the plants should as near as possible touch without 

 being intertwined, so that the ground may be well 

 covered ; and this for more reasons than one, not 

 omitting the checking of weed-growth ; at the same 

 time, this cover should hardly be of sufficient 

 density to exclude the light and air entirely from 

 the soil. 



An acre planted at 6 feet x 6 feet will contain 1210 plants. 



6 x 5 1452 



5 99 x 5 ?> > T 74 2 



5 X 4 2178 



4 X 4 2722 



" It has been demonstrated," says the Farmer's 

 Magazine (vol. vii. 409), " that the closest order 

 in which it is possible to place a number upon a 

 plain surface, not nearer than a given distance from 

 each other, is .in the angles of hexagons, with a 

 plant in the centre of each hexagon. Hence it is 

 argued that this order of trees is the most economi- 

 cal, ,.as the same quantity of ground will contain a 

 greater quantity of trees by 15 per cent, when 

 planted in this form than in any other." ! 



1 Loudon's " Encyclopaedia of Gardening." 



