CHAPTER VII. 

 NUMBER OF TREES PER ACRE AND DISTANCE BETWEEN TREES. 



The trees arc planted too close together. One of the greatest enemies 

 of the apple orchard in Wayne county, as in most other apple-growing 

 regions, is the apple-tree. When the greater part of the orchards were 

 planted, about forty years ago, there was a universal tendency to plant 

 too closely. On 43 per cent of the area planted before 1880 the trees 

 are 30 x 30 feet or less ; 82 per cent are 35 x 35 feet or less. Only 18 

 per cent are over 35 x 35 feet ; and a part of these were planted more 

 closely but have been thinned. (See table 23.) 



TABLE 23. 

 Distance between trees. 



.Average number of trees per acre, 

 Average distance apart 



43-6 

 31-6 



33-2 

 36.2 



41.8 

 32.3 



A comparison with the recent plantings shows that many growers have 

 learned not to plant so closely. Nearly two-thirds of the area set since 

 1879 has the trees 35 x 35 feet or over, the average distance being 36.2 

 feet or 33.2 trees per acre, as compared with a distance of 31.6 feet and 

 43.6 trees for the older orchards. Some growers have not yet learned 

 the lesson, and need to have their attention called to it. Forty by forty 

 feet is close enough for nearly all varieties. The Duchess, Wealthy and 

 a few other varieties might perhaps be planted a little closer. Mature 

 Baldwin and Greening trees should be at least 40 x 40 feet apart. 



299 



