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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



angular planting is adopted. "This is true 

 even where the land is quite steep, since 

 if the base line of permanent trees is par- 

 allel in the main to the contour lines, 

 then this will be true also of the perma- 

 nent alleys while the alleys formed by 

 all the trees taken together will leave the 

 contour more properly the base line at 

 an angle of only 30 degrees. This will 

 make cultivation and hauling easy except 

 on quite steep land where even a better 

 plan than this can be adopted. The base 

 line of either the smaller or larger 

 (formed by permanent trees) system of 

 triangles can be so laid out that it will 

 interesect the main contour lines at an 

 angle of 15 degrees, which will result 

 In both the temporary and permanent 

 alleys leaving the contour at an angle of 

 only 15 degrees. This arrangement will 

 result in an easy grade even on quite 

 steep slopes. For the particular condi- 

 tions just described, triangular planting 

 has very decided advantage over all other 

 types. In fact, there is no other sys- 

 tem that has been devised which will 

 satisfy the three conditions of even dis- 

 tribution, filler planting and planting on 

 steep slopes. The decision between the 

 different methods of planting under these 

 conditions is not a matter of choice but 

 one of necessity unless one is ready to 

 disregard all questions of convenience in 

 cultivating, spraying and harvesting. 

 (See Plate I, Pigs. 2 and 3, p. 161.) 



Fittingr the Plan to Special Conditions 



We have seen above that special topo- 

 graphical features may have much to do 

 with the selection of a planting plan, but 

 thus far we have considered only plane 

 surfaces — either level land or uniform 

 slopes. Cove lands are often our very 

 best orchard sites. These coves may be 

 narrow or very broad. The main con- 

 tour lines of two opposite slopes may, 

 when projected to a common point, in- 

 tersect each other at angles of approxi- 

 mately 60, 90 and 120 degrees or they 

 may be practically parallel and the head 

 of the cove roughly assumes the form of 

 a half circle. The reverse conditions 

 will be met when planting on two oppo- 

 site sides and around the ends of ridges. 



The ridge may be narrow and sharply 

 pointed or it may oe broad with end well 

 rounded. It may be practicable to plant 

 the whole slope or only a part of it. In 

 fact, a great variety of conditions will be 

 met in actual practice. Can orchard plans 

 be devised to fit these variable topograph- 

 ical features? Such plan must result in 

 rows parallel (approximately) to the 

 contour lines and yet secure a uniform 

 distance between the trees with regular 

 and even distribution. 



By combining square and triangular 

 planting in the same plan the grower will 

 usually be able to fit his planting to al- 

 most any type of surface which may be 

 met. It is of course obvious that minor 

 irregularities cannot be taken into ac- 

 count. We will now attempt to show how 

 this can be done by discussing the main 

 types likely to occur. 



1. Given a case where the head of a 

 cove or the end of a ridge represents a 

 hollowed or rounded surface and the con- 

 tour lines of the opposite slopes approach 

 so that when projected to the point of 

 meeting they will form an angle of 120 

 degrees. 



The plan of planting that will best fit 

 this type of surface may be described as 

 follows: A system of equilateral triangles 

 are arranged on the point of the ridge 

 or at the head of the cove so as to form 

 a group constituting one large equilateral 

 triangle. The figure will have apex at 

 upper side of field for ridge and at the 

 lower side of field for cove planting. The 

 triangular group thus serves as a wedge 

 to turn the course of the two wings of 

 the plan. Perpendicular lines are pro- 

 jected from the trees on the two sides of 

 this figure and these will locate the rows 

 for the square planting. (See Plate I, Fig. 

 4, p. 161.) It is only necessary to meas- 

 ure off the proper distances on these lines 

 to locate the position of the trees belong- 

 ing to the square planting. The plan then 

 becomes two systems of squares (form- 

 ing either square or rectangular figures) 

 connected by a system of small triangles 

 constituting one large equilateral triangle. 

 It is obvious then that the main rows of 

 the two wings will form with each other 

 an angle of 120 degrees. 



