192 



The Principles of Fruit-growing 



Contour planting. 



On steep lands it may be desirable to plant the trees on 

 the contours, following the grades around the hill or along 

 the face of the slope. This facilitates tillage, tends to 

 prevent disastrous washing, and allows of more easy 

 access to the plantation by team and 

 wagon. The utility of the geometrical 

 systems is most marked on level lands. 



Orchard systems. 



It is possible to plant the trees in 

 many geometrical patterns, but the 

 main or prevailing systems are three, 

 with variations. These (Fig. 44, from 

 Martin, Cornell Bull.) are as follows: 

 1. Rectangular, the most usual 

 and the simplest form, in which the 

 trees occupy the four corners of a 

 rectangle. The rectangle is usually 

 equal-sided (i.e., square). 2. Quincunx, 

 in which a tree is set in the center of 

 the rectangle to economize space. 

 This system is particularly well 

 adapted to the use of fillers. 3. 

 Equilateral triangle, known also as 

 triangular and hexagonal, in which 

 the field is so laid out that all the 

 trees stand at equal distances. 



Theoretically, the quincunx and equilateral triangle 

 are most to be desired because the land is most uniformly 

 and completely utilized. It is a fair question, however, 

 whether it may be desirable to utilize all the land in this 

 way, or whether, in fact, the practical working out of the 



FIG. 42. First-class 

 apple trees, with stout 

 high trunks. 



