PREPARATIONS FOR PLANTING 87 



to be short is that a prevention of evaporation, the trees or vines set 

 the following winter will have a good part of the rainfall of two seasons 

 to grow with, and the result will often be very noticeable. If there 

 are supplies of manure available, as is often found in old corrals on 

 our grain or stock farms, it is better to gather and apply this the winter 

 before the planting of the trees. If this is not done, it should be left 

 until after the trees are planted, and then be spread upon the surface 

 during the winter, and plowed it after it has been in part leached into 

 the soil by the rains. Application should be made evenly all over the 

 surface, and not massed around the roots of the trees, unless it is to be 

 applied as a mulch to the surface after the spring cultivation is over, as 

 will be considered later. 



If it is thought desirable to plant the land immediately after break- 

 ing up, put in the plows as early in the fall as it is possible to do deep 

 work, that is, to plow to a depth of ten or twelve inches, or more. 

 Harrow thoroughly. If it is still early, cross-plow. Thorough and 

 deep breaking up as soon as practicable to plow in the fall, and follow- 

 ing in the furrow with the subsoil plow, working to a depth of fourteen 

 inches or more, is a good preparation for fruit planting. For this kind 

 of work good teams are needed and the plow should be sharp and 

 bright. If the work is hard for the team,;' set the plow so as to take 

 less land, but do not sacrifice the depth. Harrow again thoroughly, 

 and the land is ready for the trees or vines. 



Avoiding Dead Furrows. Unless dead furrows can be used to 

 advantage for surface drainage in case of heavy rain-storms, it will 

 be of decided convenience in laying off to have the field free from 

 them. This can, of course, be secured by beginning the final plowing 

 at a line in the center of the field, turning all furrows inwards. In this 

 case, too, if a right-hand plow is used, the team will always turn on 

 unplowed land, and thus avoid trampling upon and packing the loose 

 soil. The slight ridge in the center of the field formed by the first 

 two furrows can be easily leveled by a couple of back furrows, and 

 when properly harrowed the field will be found smooth as a floor for 

 staking out for planting. 



LAYING OUT FOR PLANTING IN SQUARES 



It is very desirable, both for convenience in cultivation and for the 

 beauty of the orchard, that the trees should stand in straight lines, 

 and care should be taken to attain that end. Most orchards and vine- 

 yards in this State are laid out in squares; that is, the rows of trees 

 or vines are all at right angles to each other, as shown in the accom- 

 panying sketch. This is the simplest arrangement; and by some of 

 our largest planters is held to be the best. It is true that the trees are 

 not equidistant from each other in all directions, and that, theoretically 

 at least, there is a portion of the ground unused supposing that the 

 roots occupy a circle, as do the branches. Practically, however, it may 

 be doubted whether the hungry roots of well-grown trees or vines leave 

 any portion of the soil unvisited. 



