242 THE ORCHARD. MARCII 



The arrangement of the trees in the orchard should be in rows, 

 each different kind of fruit separate, and at distances proportionate to 

 the nature of their growths. Apple and pear-trees may be planted 

 at fifty feet distance every way; cherry and plum, at from thirty to 

 forty; peach, nectarine, apricot, almonds, and quinces, at from twenty- 

 five to thirty feet; and at still greater distances, if you are not limited 

 in extent of suitable ground, and you intend to raise various crops 

 between the trees. Pear-trees on quince stocks may be planted ten 

 feet apart, and the other kinds on dwarf stocks, at half the distance, 

 as mentioned above for each kind. 



You should have great regard to the distance of planting the trees, 

 which is what few people have rightly considered; for if you plant 

 them too close, they will be liable to blights ; the air being thereby 

 pent in among them, will also cause the fruit to be ill-tasted; for a 

 great quantity of damp vapors from the perspiration of the trees, and 

 the exhalation from the earth mixed with it, will be imbibed by the 

 fruit, and render their juices crude and unwholesome ; besides, it is 

 the opinion of some well informed naturalists and orchardists, that 

 these vapors and perspiration of the trees, collect the heat of the sun, 

 and reflect it in streams, so as to cause what is called a fire-blast, 

 which is extremely hurtful to fruit, and most frequent where the 

 orchards are open to the south sun. 



Having your trees in readiness, proceed to stake or mark out the 

 ground, according to the above or greater distances, placing a small 

 stake or mark where each hole is to be made for the reception of the 

 trees, which, if made to range every way, will have a very agreeable 

 effect, admit the currency of air and sun's influence more effectually, 

 and make the orchard still more convenient for tillage. 



A wide circular hole must be dug for every tree, capacious enough 

 to receive all the roots freely without touching the sides, but by no 

 means of a greater depth than the natural good soil ; if you make a 

 deep hole, basin like, into the clay bottom, or unfriendly sub-soil, 

 which is too frequently done, and plant the roots therein, even filling 

 it round with good earth will not do, for as soon as it pushes its roots 

 beyond this, they must enter into the bad and unfriendly soil, which 

 will not fail to bring on the decay of the most healthy tree, and can 

 never afford it suitable juices for perfecting delicious fruit ; besides 

 the lodgement of water about the roots in this confined basin in wet 

 seasons, will cause the tree to become sickly, and to get overrun with 

 moss, and full of canker. 



When the holes are all ready, proceed to planting, placing a tree 

 in each, having its roots trimmed as before, one person holding the 

 stem erect, whilst another casts in the earth, previously breaking it 

 small ; let it be settled in equally between all the roots, by gently 

 and frequently shaking the tree a little up and down, which will cause 

 the mould to settle in close about all the small roots and fibres ; and 

 also to raise the tree gradually up, that the crown of the roots may 

 not be more than about three or four inches below the general sur- 

 face, even in the deepest soil. When the hole is filled up, tread it 

 gently, first round the outside, then near the stem of the tree; form- 

 ing the surface a little hollow, to admit of giving water, if found 



