40 APPLE GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 



implement made for the purpose. After the leveling is done harrowing 

 to break up all clods should not be neglected. Moisture may be con- 

 served much better if a fine dust mulch can be made on the surface of 

 the soil, and a disc harrow, cultivator, common harrow or any other im- 

 plement which will best make the mulch should be used. It should be 

 remembered that a smooth surface such as might be secured by rolling 

 the soil will lose moisture much more quickly than a surface broken 

 up by the harrow or other cultivating tool. 



PLOWING. 



It seems hardly necessary to say that ground should always be well 

 plowed before trees are set out, for nearly every one realizes the import- 

 ance of this operation. It has already been said that a deep root system 

 is advantageous, and for this reason, if for no other, soil should be 

 plowed deeply to better insure such deep rooting. Not only should this 

 deep plowing be practiced previous to setting the trees, but frequently 

 afterwards. In general it may be said that an orchard should be 

 plowed once a year and always to a good depth, so that the soil may be 

 loosened sufficiently to induce deep rooting of the trees. Plowing in 

 preparation for planting is often very carelessly done because of the 

 fact that holes of a considerable size and depth are dug for the trees and 

 it is not considered that careful plowing is necessary. In our arid 

 sections where the rainfall is light where there may be little or no 

 water for irrigation during the dry season and as a consequence it is 

 necessary to conserve all the moisture possible the plowing operation 

 should never be slighted in any way. 



HOW TO DETERMINE NUMBERS OF TREES PER ACRE. 



Any one desiring to find out how many trees can be planted per acre, 

 at given distances apart, can do so by multiplying these distances in feet 

 and dividing 43,560, which is the number of square feet in an acre by 

 the product. For example, it is desired to plant an orchard on the 

 square 30 by 30 feet; the product of these two distances is 900, and 

 43,560 divided by 900 equals 48, the number of trees that can be planted 

 per acre at this distance. If the hexagonal system of planting is to be 

 used the number may be determined by adding to this number fifteen 

 per cent of itself. For example, 48 times .15 equals 7 plus, which added 

 to 48 equals 55 plus. Similarly any other distances being known the 

 number of trees per acre may be determined. 



SYSTEMS FOR PLANTING. 



The different systems for planting trees are well illustrated in the 

 accompanying figures, numbers 20, 21, 22 and 23. There are four of 

 them in all, and they are known as the square, triangular, quincunx and 

 hexagonal methods. The first and last are generally used, the hex- 

 agonal having the advantage of allowing fifteen per cent more trees in 

 a given area. A very common fault in the planting of our older apple 

 orchards was the setting of too many trees per acre. Crowding, after 

 a few years' growth, has as a consequence taken place, to the serious 

 detriment of the crop and to the disadvantage of cultivation, picking 

 and other orchard operations. Most varieties of apples should be 



