78 THE APPLE. 



is the sending out of roots from the scion, for when trees are well 

 rooted from the scion they are generally much improved in har- 

 diness. However, in heavy retentive soil deep planting is not 

 desirable. 



Distance Apart to Plant. Apple trees in cold regions 

 should be set quite close to one another. In favorable locations 

 they should be set further apart than when the conditions are very 

 severe. Most varieties do best when not over sixteen feet apart ; 

 but upright growing kinds should be set closer. The Duchess of 



Oldenburgh does very well 



North. in severe locations when 



* * * * * set not over twelve feet 



apart each way. The trees 



# # # should be set so as to 



"break joints", north and 

 south that is, the trees in 



* * one row should be set op- 



posite the vacancies in the 



# * # # next. If the rows run 



northeast and southwest 

 the trees will shade one 

 * another on the southwest 

 South. side, which is most liable 



FIG. 52. Asterisks showing desirable ar- to injury from the sun. 

 rangement of (he trees in the orchard. Figure 52 shows the ar- 



rangement of the trees. 



Cultivation. Young orchards should be cultivated in some 

 hoed crop that does not necessitate -the working of the soil in 

 autumn, but will keep the land well worked in the early summer. 

 For this purpose corn, early potatoes or squash are good crops. 

 Do not sow the ordinary small grains in orchards. Buckwheat, 

 however, seems to be an exception to this rule, and on account of 

 its dense shade is a very good crop for this purpose. After the 

 trees begin to bear it is often a good plan to seed the land to clover, 

 which should be broken up occasionally. The trees should be well 

 mulched, and if they do not make a satisfactory growth should be 

 well manured. When an orchard becomes "sod bound" nothing 

 will do it more good than a drove of hogs sufficient to root up all 

 the sod, but they must not be allowed to gnaw the trees. Besides 

 breaking up the sod the hogs are very beneficial by destroying 

 many kinds of insects. 



Forming the Tree. Whatever may be the shape of the 

 tree when it is received from the nursery, it will need careful 

 attention in the orchard. The question whether to grow trees with 

 a long or a short trunk, is a much disputed one ; but it may be laid 

 down as a general rule that in favorable locations the trunks of the 

 hardier kinds should be free from branches for fully three feet 

 from the ground, but in such cases it should have some protection. 

 In very severe and exposed locations, or in the case of somewhat 



