IRRIGATION FOR THE ORCHARD. 1U7 



about the roots and taking up when required. Never 

 leave the roots exposed to the sun and air, and puddle 

 before planting. Fill up the hole with surface soil, so 

 that the tree, after the earth has settled, will stand about 

 as it did when in the nursery, but dwarf pears 

 should be planted deep enough to cover the quince 

 stock, upon which they are budded, two or three inches. 

 Work the Foil thoroughly among the roots, and when 

 well covered tamp firmly. Set the trees as firmly as a 

 post, but leave the surface filling light and loose. No 

 staking will be required except with very tall trees. 

 Xever let manure come in contact with the roots. As 

 soon as planted water thoroughly. 



Apple trees can be planted twenty-eight or thirty 

 feet each way, or twenty-four by thirty-six feet, and a 

 pear, cherry, plum or peach planted between the apple 

 trees in the thirty-six foot space. Easpberries, gooseber- 

 ries and currants can be planted in the rows between 

 the trees, as they require about the same irrigation. 

 Strawberries can be planted in rows four feet apart be- 

 tween the tree rows. Some will say this makes a ragged 

 looking orchard. It does if the trees and bushes are 

 never trimmed, and were planted with no order or sys- 

 tem. In transplanting trees it is well to have the ditch 

 water follow in a furrow close to the tree row, so that no 

 time will be lost in moistening the ground and starting 

 the young tree on its new life. A newly set orchard 

 will require more water the first year than any succeed- 

 ing year, and the writer has made it a point to irrigate 

 every fortnight the first year until September, when all 

 water is shut off. 



Cultivation. The tendency of many inexperienced 

 orchardists is to irrigate too frequently and too much at 

 times when water is plentiful, and to endeavor to make 

 this take the place of cultivation. This is a practice 

 very destructive to the growth of all kinds of fruit trees, 



