MARCH.] THE FRUIT-GARDEN. 213 



Planting Fruit Trees. 



Fruit trees, of all kinds, may be planted any time this month, 

 when the weather is open, with success, but the sooner in the 

 month the better, before they begin to shoot ; they will now take 

 root in a short time ; and, with the assistance of a little water in 

 dry weather, will grow freely. 



Let every kind be planted at proper distances, both for espaliers 

 and walls, and also in standards, that they may have room to grow 

 without interfering with each other in the course of a few years ; 

 which is often the case in many gardens, more particularly with 

 wall trees and espaliers. 



Peaches, nectarines, and apricots, should never be planted nearer 

 than fifteen feet asunder, against walls or espaliers ; nor need they 

 be planted more than eighteen or twenty feet distance. 



Apples and pears for walls and espaliers, should be planted fif- 

 teen, to eighteen or twenty feet asunder; but, in some cases, 

 twenty-five feet is a more eligible distance, especially for some sorts 

 of free-shooting pears; though it appears considerable at first, yet 

 if grafted, &c. upon free stocks, they will readily fill that space, 

 and bear considerably better, than if confined, so as to require to be 

 often shortened to continue them within bounds ; however, gene- 

 rally allow those on dwarf stocks not less than fifteen feet, the 

 others eighteen or twenty feet distance. 



Plums and cherries, designed for walls and espaliers, should be 

 planted from fifteen, to eighteen or twenty feet distance. 



The above distances, advised in planting the different sorts of 

 wall and espalier trees, appear great, when the trees are first plant- 

 ed ; but, in a few years, the advantage of allowing them proper 

 room will be manifest ; and it should be observed to allow trees 

 planted against low walls a greater distance, than for higher, in or- 

 der that, in default of height, there may be proper scope to extend 

 them horizontally. 



For the particular soil and situation proper for the different kinds, 

 see the Fruit-Garden in October and November; and also the 

 Orchard, in this month. 



Having the ground previously well prepared, open a wide hole 

 for every tree, about a spade deep, or according to the size of the 

 root and loosen the bottom well. Then prune the roots of the tree ; 

 that is, cut off bruised or broken parts, and trim the ends a little 

 of all the very long straggling roots in general, prune out irregular 

 shoots of the head, then place the tree in the hole ; break the earth 

 well, and throw it in equally about the roots, and when all is in, tread 

 the surface gently around the tree. 



New planted fruit-trees, should be well secured from the violence 

 of the wind ; if they are all standards, in exposed situations, let them 

 be supported with stakes; and if wall-trees, Sec. with largish heads, 

 planted against walls and espaliers, fasten their main branches 

 thereto. 



