(Christmas tree shape). The higher investment per acre in 

 comparisonto low density plantings (Table 1) should be off- 

 set by earlier, higher yields. Medium density plantings involve 

 free standing trees-MM 106, M.7, M.26, and interstem trees. 

 However, more experience is needed before we can be sure 

 of the stability of trees on M.26 without support. 



The trees are smaller than in the low density planting, 

 easier and less cos'tly to spray, and a higher percentage of 

 the leaf area is exposed to sunlight which is essential for 

 flower bud formation and high fruit quality. 



High density tree planting. This type of planting will require 

 the use of M.9 rootstock with the tree individually staked 

 or supported by a trellis. Thus cost of establishment is 

 extremely high (Table 1). Adjustments in orchard size and/or 

 management procedures will be necessary if sizeable acreage 

 of high densities is planted by the established grower because 

 of the careful attention needed in growing the trees and 

 containing them within their allotted space. Few soils in 

 Massachusetts are suitable for trees on M.9 without providing 

 supplemental water. 



In the Netherlands, where all modern plantings are on 

 M.9, there is a rule of thumb that states that orchard size 

 should be governed by the number of skilled pruners on the 

 farm. An apple orchard of 20 to 25 acres is considered large 

 in the Netherlands and the grower sells his fruit through an 

 auction, jumble-packed in wooden crates. To the contrary, 

 the average Massachusetts grower has 50 or more acres, grades 

 and packs his fruit into bags, cell count cartons or trays, 

 and in many instances retails part of the crop. Time is such 

 a limiting factor that many orchardists are forced to hire 



custom pruners to prune their bearing orchards. 



Orientation of tree rows. North-south orientation of tree 

 rows is preferred because it favors maximum exposure of 

 the leaves and fruit to sunlight. However, frequently the 

 topography of the land and orchard boundaries dictate the 

 directions in which the tree rows will extend. 



When designing the orchard, allow for service roads and 

 sufficient space at the ends of rows for equipment maneuver- 

 ability. 



Pollination. Most apple cultivars are self-unfruitful and 

 require cross-pollination to set a commercial crop. In select- 

 ing a cross-pollinating cultivar, the following factors should 

 be considered: (1) Age when it begins to flower, (2) season 

 of bloom, (3) viability of pollen produced, (4) tendency to 

 flower annually, (5) cross-incompatibilities, and (6) adapta- 

 bility and value of the cultivar to the region. 



Table 1 2 lists some of the cultivars grown in Massachusetts 

 according to their season of bloom. These are generally suit- 

 able cross-pollinizers for each other; several exceptions are 

 noted. These cultivars do not always bloom in the same rela- 

 tion one to another each year. During years when the pre- 

 bloom temperatures are high, all cultivars are apt to bloom 

 at about the same time; when the pre-bloom temperatures 

 are low, the bloom is late and 7 or more days may elapse 

 between the early- and late-blooming cultivars. Bloom peri- 

 ods of those cultivars listed in the early- and mid-season 

 groups should overlap sufficiently for suitable cross-pollina- 

 tion in most seasons; the same would be true for those cul- 

 tivars in the mid-season and late categories. It would be 



Table 11. Suggested minimum planting distances for various apple cultivar/rootstock combinations.^ 



Rootstock or interstem combination 



Tree spacing (ft) and trees/acre (in parentheses) for: 



Vigorous Medium vigor and 



cultivarsV low-vigor cultivars^ 



M.9 or M.9A 



M.26 



M.9/MM 106 



M.9/MM 111 



M.9/Alnarp2 



M.9/seedling 



C-6/K-14/seedling 



C-52/K-14/seedling 



M.7or M.7A 



MM 106 



MM 111 



8x 16 

 14x22 

 12 X 20 

 14x22 

 15x 23 

 15x23 

 15 x 23 

 16x24 

 16x24 

 18x26 

 20x28 



(340) 

 (141) 

 (181) 

 (141) 

 (126) 

 (126) 

 (126) 

 (113) 

 (113) 

 ( 93) 

 ( 77) 



^Increase spacings by 2 feet on heavy soils. 



VMclntosh, Delicious, Cortland, Macoun, Puritan, Spartan. 



'^Most spur-type Mcintosh, spur-type Delicious, Paulared, Tydeman's Early, and Jerseymac have medium vigor. Golden Delicious, 

 Idared, Empire, MacSpur, and Rome are cultivars with low vigor. 



12 



