THE FRUIT GARDEN. 103 



CHAPTER XX. 



THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



The fruit garden is a necessity to comfortable existence in the 

 country. The average farmer's fruit garden consists of a few 

 apple trees distributed about the farm; a few neglected pear, 

 peach and plum trees in various places about the buildings; a 

 cherry tree or two in the front yard of the house; currant bushes 

 and perhaps a few raspberries and blackberries over-run with 

 grass and weeds along- a wall or in some fence corner; and a 

 strawberry bed so choked with grass and weeds that fruit is very 

 small and difficult to find. 



So much of enjoyment and healthful food can be produced 

 from a srna-1 piece of land, that no home should be without a well 

 organized fruit garden, and the best land of the farm is none 

 too good. 



The location s-hould be near the house where it can receive at- 

 tention at odd moments, and away from obstructions, like walls 

 and fences, so that the work of cultivation may be done largely 

 with the horse. 



In the planting of a fruit garden it is of almost as much im- 

 portance to have a plan to go by, as in building a house or barn. 

 It is surprising how much, and what a great variety, may be 

 grown on a small area when properly arranged. To illustrate, 

 let us take a plot 100 by 100 feet, or nearly one-fourth of an 

 acre. Plant four rows of apple trees of four trees each, thirty- 

 three and one-third feet apart, making sixteen in all; between 

 the trees in the apple rows may be planted twelve pear trees, 

 almost seventeen feet apart; between these rows may be planted 

 seven trees each of peach, plum and cherry, a little more than 

 sixteen and one-half feet apart. Now between these rows of 

 trees may be planted grapes, currants, raspberries and blackber- 

 ries, over eight feet apart, leaving two spaces over sixteen feet 



