90 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



small wire cable about a quarter of an inch in diameter, made of several 

 strands of small wire. It is more flexible and less likely to become 

 kinked than the large wire, and can be easily marked off to represent 

 the distances, at which rows of different kinds of trees should be placed, 

 by separating the strands a little at the desired points and inserting a 

 little piece of red cloth, pressing the wires together again and tying 

 firmly with a waxed thread to prevent slipping. In this way the same 

 wire can be easily arranged for planting vines or for the trees requiring 

 the greatest distance between the rows. Another advantage of the 

 cable is that any stretching can be taken up by retwisting, which can not 

 be done with the stretching of a single wire. Another good style of 

 planting wire is made of 2, 4 or 6- foot links of No. 12 steel wire (in- 

 cluding the diameters or the small rings turned at each end of the link 

 pieces). As all planting will probably be at multiple distances of these 

 link-lengths, the cloth tags can be changed and the chain thus be marked 

 for any desired distances. 



Finding a True Corner. To use the measuring 1 wire for laying 

 out trees on the square, it is necessary first to get one corner true, and 

 then a field of any size can be marked out accurately. Select the side of 

 the field which is to serve as the base of the square and stretch the wire 

 along that, say fifteen feet from the fence, which will give room enough 

 to turn with the team in cultivation or to drive along in picking-time. 

 When the wire is thus stretched parallel with the boundary of the 

 field, place a stake at each of the distance tags on the wire, and these 

 stakes will represent the first row of trees or vines. To find a square 

 corner, begin at the starting point and measure off sixty feet long 

 this row with a tape line, and put a temporary stake, then from the 

 starting point measure off eighty feet as nearly at a right angle with 

 the first line as can be judged with the eye, and run diagonally from 

 this point the temporary sixty-foot stake. If the distance between 

 these stakes is one hundred feet, then the corner is a right angle. 

 Now, having the outside lines started at right angles to each other, one 

 can proceed with the measuring wire and lay off as large an area as he 

 desires, if care is taken to have each line drawn parallel with the last, 

 and all stakes accurately placed with the tags on the wire providing 

 the land is nearly level or on a uniform grade. In locating trees over 

 uneven ground, the measurements will have to be made from tree to 

 tree, with the tape line held as nearly to a level as possible. 



Rows on Hillsides. Laying off orchard or vineyard on hillside 

 too steep to plow both ways, there is advantage sometimes in placing 

 the rows up and down the hill nearly twice as far apart as the rows 

 along the face of the hill : In planting trees thus the advantage to 

 be gained is by enabling you to keep the team well up the hill ; thereby 

 you are able to plow or cultivate the trees close on the lower side of 

 the rows. There is no difficulty in cultivating the upper side of the 

 rows, for the plow or harrow is always below the team. If trees are 

 planted as recommended, the team can be guided up the hill a little 

 between the rows, then allowed to drop downhill one step, and thus 

 one can cultivate the trees close on the lower side. The same rule will 

 apply to vines. 



