APPLES. 289 



handsome and good trees, the bud should be set within two or 

 three inches of the ground. Budded trees usually have better 

 roots than root-grafted ones, and are the common stock in the 

 East. 



PLANTING ORCHARDS. 



Soil. The apple is a vigorous and hardy tree, and will grow 

 upon most soils. It does best, however, on those that are 

 deep, rich, and fertile, such as will give good crops of Indian 

 corn. Hard, shallow, and wet grounds are to be avoided. 

 Improvement by manuring and deep cultivation is desirable, 

 as a great difference in quality and productiveness results from 

 a difference in fertility. 



Distance. Where the quantity of ground is limited, and in 

 rare cases, trees may for a time stand within fifteen or twenty 



FIG. 347. Diagram of Rows for Tree Planting. 



feet ; but for large and permanent orchards they should not 

 be nearer than forty feet. There is, however, a material 

 difference in the size of varieties, hence a variation may be 

 allowed. But this variation in distance should not break the 

 rows which are to be preserved for convenience in cultivation. 

 The rows may be kept entire, by varying the distance in one 

 way only, as in the annexed figure (Fig. 347). The middle 

 portion is for trees of the largest size, as the Esopus, Fall 

 Pippin, and Rhode Island; those of smallest size, as Bough, 

 Yellow Harvest, and Sine Qua Non, are on the left ; and those 

 of middle growth, as the Swaar, Black Gilliflower, and Tol- 

 man Sweet, are on the right. On the plains, the trees may be 

 planted somewhat closer, as the trees do not attain such great 

 size as in the Northeastern States. 



Transplanting. Full directions have been given in a pre- 

 ceding chapter, where the superior advantages of broad, deep, 

 and loose beds of earth, made by heavy subsoiling and manur- 

 ing, have been pointed out ; or in the absence of this excellent 

 preparation, by digging large holes to be filled with rich 

 mould, or manured surface-soil. 

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