APPLES 



177 



know, few ever carry out their good re- 

 solves. 



An orchardist who has 900 acres in 

 trees at Cedar Gap, near Springfield, Mo., 

 * writing on the subject of close planting 

 after 15 years' experience, has the fol- 

 lowing to say: 



"Now that the time for tree planting 

 has arrived. I desire to call attention to 

 a mistake that is often made by begin- 

 ners in the Ozark region. I refer to 

 close planting. Apple trees in good land 

 should never be planted closer than 

 30x30 feet apart, and on fairly good land 

 25x25 feet apart. On poor soil that will 

 not produce 20 bushels of corn to the 

 acre apple trees are unprofitable. ♦ * * 

 These distances give room for cultiva- 

 tion, spraying and gathering; produce 

 longer lived trees, better fruit and more 

 money in the long run." 



There are advantages in close planting 

 in the row north and south as the trees 

 tend to shade and protect each other; 

 but after some years the roots interlock, 

 and even with the best cultivation it is 

 well nigh impossible to maintain the mois- 

 ture needed in time of drouth. 



Ernest Waxker. 

 Fayetteville, Ai-k. 



Spraying 



Close planting prevents the proper 

 spraying of the orchard. Thorough spray- 

 ing has come to be recognized as one of 

 the first requisites of successful orchard- 

 ing. The rows should be a sufficient dis- 

 tance apart to admit of ready access to 

 trees from every side. The exact dis- 

 tance apart may vary somewhat accord- 

 ing to the varieties planted and the lay 

 of the ground, but in general 50 mature 

 apple trees per acre, approximately 30 

 feet apart, is ample. Any number in ex- 

 cess of this means overcrowding and 

 weakened trees. 



A. T. Erwin, 

 G. R. Bliss. 



Ames. Iowa. 



Space Versus Soil 



The space to give apple trees in an 

 orchard varies according to the soil and 

 variety. On good soil the strong growing 

 sorts require about 40 feet in each direc- 



* Louis Erb. Mempbis. Tenn.. in Practical 

 Pruit Grower, Vol. VIII. No. 141 (1902), p. 5. 



tion, at maturity. The space between may 

 be occupied for the first 10 or 20 years 

 with "fillers." 



W. J. Green, 

 Wooster. Obio. 



Distance and Variety 



The proper distance apart for planting 

 depends altogether upon the ultimate size 

 of the tree, which will vary with the 

 variety, the soil, the location, and the 

 kind of treatment. With good treatment, 

 full grown trees of the smaller growing 

 varieties, like Wagener, Wealthy and Yel- 

 low Transparent, for example, may not 

 require more than 20 to 25 feet, while 

 those of the larger growing sorts like 

 Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening or Rox- 

 bury Russet, may require from 35 to 40 

 feet. When located on the heavier soils, 

 especially at the base of a hill, trees usu- 

 ally grow much larger, and sometimes at- 

 tain a spread of 50 feet. 



The investigations of the Cornell Ex- 

 periment Station based upon the behavior 

 of hundreds of orchards, reveal the fact 

 that within certain limits, the wider the 

 spacing the greater the yield. It would 

 seem advisable either to space the trees 

 the maximum width or decidedly closei-. 

 The reason for this is that in a very 

 closely planted orchard, half of the trees 

 may be removed when they begin to 

 crowd, leaving the remainder about the 

 right distance apart, while in an orchard 

 where the trees are only moderately close, 

 the removal of every alternate tree would 

 leave the remaining trees too far apart. 



C. D. Jarvis, 

 Storrs. Ccnn. 



Soil Determines Distance 



The distance apart at which to space 

 the trees should be governed largely by 

 the character of the soil upon which the 

 orchard is to be located. Where the soil 

 is thin, as in many of the hilly sections 

 of Ohio, 25x25 feet apart is a good dis- 

 tance. On richer ground the distance 

 should be not less than 35x35 feet either 

 way, or the equivalent. Some growers 

 plant 25x30, while still others who have 

 had experience with apple orchards on 

 very fertile soil recommend not less space 

 than 40 feet between trees either way. 



