28 POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



How shall we plant the orchard? There are several ways 

 of setting out trees. The two methods most commonly fol- 

 low-ed are known as setting in squares and setting alternately. 

 It is important to have the rows straight both ways as it is more 

 convenient in cultivation and looks better. The rows can be 

 made straight in various ways but perhaps in no better way 

 than to set out the trees around the outside first or, if the or- 

 chard is large, say a row every 40 rods. By using these outside 

 trees as sight stakes, the other rows may easily be mad-e straight 

 both ways. If the land is laid off carefully with a corn marker 

 one way and by a plow the other, the trees are quite easily put 

 where they belong by sighting to the trees set at the ends of 

 the rows. 



Digging the holes. 



(a) In digging the holes make them large enough to re- 

 ceive the roots without crowding and deep enough as a rule to 

 bring the union of the stock and cion well below the surface. 

 Trees should generally be planted a little deeper, say from four 

 to eight inches, than they grew in the nursery. In severe lo- 

 cations and on gravelly soils they are frequently planted a foot 

 deeper to protect from frost injury. 



(b) In the case of fruit trees of best planting out size, if the 

 land has been properly plowed and furrowed out only a little 

 digging will be required. 



(c) In digging holes in shallow soil put the surface and 

 sub-soils separate and then use the surface soil to cover the 

 roots and put the sub-soil on top. 



(d) Firm the soil around the roots of the trees until it Is 

 solid. For this purpose it is a good plan to use a packer of 

 wood such as is used to firm the soil around posts. This is es- 

 pecially important on dry soils. 



Pruning the trees. 



(a) Trees may be left until after they are set out before 

 pruning but sometimes it may effect quite a saving in freight 

 to prune the trees before they are shipped from the nursery. 



(b) Severe pruning is often needed for young trees as 

 much depends upon the forming of the tree when young. 



