LAYING OUT AN ORCHARD 



THREE objects should be considered 

 in laying out the orchard: sym- 

 metry of appearance; economy of 

 space ; and facility for future care. In Cali- 

 fornia, where millions of trees are planted 

 annually, various methods are used. Many 

 are now planting in what is known as the 

 triangular or alternate system. This method 

 gives more trees to the acre than the square 

 system, and in case of apple trees, every 

 other row can be planted to peaches. As 

 the life of the peach tree is short, several 

 crops of fruit may be gathered before any 

 serious damage is done the apple trees, and 

 before crowding, the peach trees can be re- 

 moved. In laying out an orchard to be 

 planted in this manner, take three pieces of 

 timber one by two inches, and of the length 

 that the trees are to be apart. Miter and 



Fig. 25 



fasten the corners together with pieces one 

 inch thick and six or eight inches in size. 

 These should be fastened firmly with two- 

 inch screws. To make the triangle strong, 

 the pieces should be turned on edge. After 

 the triangle is fastened together, measure ofif 

 the exact length it is desired to have the trees 

 apart, and bore an inch hole through each 

 corner of the boards, being careful that the 

 holes are exactly the same distance apart. 

 Place the three braces across the corners, 

 and the triangle is completed. Stretch a 

 line or a wire on one side of the track to be 

 planted, the proper distance from the fence. 



place two corners of the triangle exactly on 

 the line and set a stake through each hole on 

 the line, also one in the third corner. Move 



V^ 



] 



Fig. 2589. Planting Board. 



the triangle along the line, placing one cor- 

 ner over the stake and the other corner on 

 the line and drive the stakes as before. After 

 the first and second rows are staked off, 

 only one row is staked at a time, while the 

 two corners of the triangle are kept over the 

 last row of stakes. There should be a per- 

 son at each corner of the triangle. 



After the stakes are all set, bore an inch 

 hole in each end of the board, four inches 

 wide and six or eight feet long. Cut a notch 

 in the centre, place it against the stake, drive 

 a stake through each hole in the end of the 

 board, and remove the centre one. The hole 

 is then dug, and when ready to set the tree, 

 lay the board over the stakes and place the 

 tree in the notch. The same plan can be 

 used in laying off an orchard by using a 

 square instead of a triangle. All the meas- 

 urements must be exact, or the triangle will 

 not fit when placed over the stakes. In this 

 way it is no trouble to keep the rows 

 straight, no matter what length they may be. 

 The stakes should be fifteen to eighteen 

 inches in length, and somewhat smaller tfian 

 the inch holes in the triangle, so that they 

 will work easily. 



# # f f 



^ 



4 f 4 f f f f 

 t # f -I f 4 



Fig. 2590. Orchard Planting on the Triangular Systi 



