THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



65 



perfect pollenizing or mixing of the flower 

 dust, so that all the trees will bear. Ap- 

 ples are generally planted at a distance of 

 from 25 to 30 feet apart according to the 

 kind of fruit. Early fruits do not have so 

 large trees as late and can therefore be 

 planted closer. Pears and cherries require 

 a space of 16 to 20 feet between trees. 

 Plums are almost certain croppers if 

 planted 15 feet apart, but most varieties 

 do better in clusters as close as 8 feet 

 without regard to uniformity of rows. 

 Peaches, nectarines, apricots and quinces 

 may range from 10 to 16 feet between 

 rows and yield abuudantly. 



In planting an orchard or vineyard the 

 following table of distances and num- 

 bers of trees vines and plants may be ben- 

 eficial. 



Apples, 30 feet apart each way, 50 trees 

 to acre; Pears and cherries, 20 feet apart, 

 each way, 110 trees to acre; Plums, apri- 

 cots and nectarines, 15 feet apart, 205 

 trees to acre; Grapes, 8 feet each way, 680 

 trees to acre; Currants and gooseberries, 3 

 feet each way, 4,840 to acre; Rasp- 

 berries, and blackberries, 4 feet each way, 

 2,723 to acre. 



IRRIGATING FRUITS. 



An orchard may be irrigated in differ- 

 ent ways with varying results, depending 

 on the nature of the soil, the amount of 

 water applied and the number of times ir- 

 rigated during the growing season. If 

 water is used too often or neglected and 

 ieft to sun too long in one place it will 



form an artificial lake between the surface 

 and subsoils and endanger the life of the 

 trees. When the leaves begin to turn yel- 

 low in midsummer and the orchard has the 

 appearance of dying prematurely the farm- 

 er may safely conclude that he has used 

 too much water. The remedy for this wa- 

 ter disease is to dig round the roots and 

 tap the mud pools formed in subsurface 

 strata. Trees will not grow and but sel- 

 dom bear good fruit if over irrigated. 



THE GARDEN. 



The garden spot is a very much neglect- 

 ed part of a majority of western farms. 

 There seems to be a prevailing idea that 

 gardening is but small play for women and 

 does not pay for the labor involved. The 

 gardens are frequently small coops contain- 

 ing a few gooseberry and currant bushes 

 with rhubarb and horseradish roots planted 

 along a walk through the center. A small 

 bed is spaded up on either side and the 

 little garden truck is grown under the most 

 trying difficulties. If an acre is used for 

 the garden and all kinds of vegetables 

 grown for home and market, the farmer 

 will learn from an experience of one year 

 that he has been deceived as to the value 

 of the truck patch. Fertilizers are neces- 

 sary for all vegetables and can be obtained 

 from the orchard leaves, the stable manure 

 and the rotted straw of the stock yard. 

 Coarse manure is more detrimental than 

 beneficial and should not be used in the 

 garden. 



