5 1 6 A GRICULTURE. 



neighbors, it has nothing to recommend it save hardiness and 

 color. For a permanent orchard of 1000 trees, I would set the 

 following varieties : 5 Astrachans, 25 Chenango Strawberry, 50 

 Hubbardston's, 50 2O-ounce and Fall Pippins, 100 each of Green- 

 ings, Spys, and Jonathans, and 500 Baldwins. I would set a few 

 Seek-no-furthers, for those who believe it to be the best eating 

 apple on earth ; the remainder I would set to new varieties, as 

 an educational feature. I have given more early varieties than 

 are generally given for an orchard of this size, because the time 

 is at hand when really good early apples will be in demand. 



How to Plant. The distance apart to set apple trees in an 

 orchard can never be arbitrarily fixed. The difference in soils 

 and treatment is so great that what would prove too close in 

 one case would give plenty of room in another. Trees should 

 never crowd one another in the orchard. Where they do so, it 

 is economy to remove some of them. The distance varies from 

 two to four rods there are some varieties for which two rods 

 apart is far enough. Mr. Granger has a scheme of utilizing the 

 ground while the orchard is growing, by planting between the 

 trees that make up what he calls the permanent orchard, vari- 

 eties that bear early in' life notably the Wagener to be 

 removed when they crowd themselves or the other trees. In 

 this way he recommends setting the trees not farther than one 

 rod apart. This, to be practicable and economical, should be 

 followed by good tillage. 



Before commencing on this part of the subject, however, let 

 it be understood that the great object in tillage, aside from 

 destroying weeds, is husbanding the moisture of the soil, the 

 importance of which may be readily seen if we consider only 

 briefly some of the functions of water in vegetable life. Water 

 enters largely into the constitution of all living plants, and forms 

 more than one-half of the newly gathered vegetable substances 

 we are in the habit of cultivating. In the midst of abundant 

 spring showers, plants shoot forth with an amazing rapidity, 

 while they wither and die when water is withheld. It contains 

 great solvent power over solids, and especially decayed animal 

 and vegetable matter. Its great affinity for these substances, 

 such as are supposed to be capable of ministering to the growth 

 of plants, brings them within easy reach of their roots. It is 



