270 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 



and intimate acquaintance with Judge Wellhouse and his or- 

 chards, that they have done remarkably well. 



"The Parker Earle plan. The plan originated by Parker 

 Earle, who is one of the leading western horticulturists, is 

 shown at Fig. 36. He has planted several hundred acres of 

 apples after this plan in the famous Pecos Valley of New 

 Mexico, where the trees come into bearing very early. They 

 are 16 feet apart east and west by 20 feet north and south, 

 except that every sixth row is left out for an alley, as in 

 the lower section of the diagram. There are 108 trees per 

 acre. The intention is to cut out every other north and 

 south row, thus leaving them as shown in the middle sec- 

 tion, 32x20 feet. There will then be 63 trees per acre. 

 One -half of these may be taken out later, if more space be 

 needed, leaving at the rate of 32 trees per acre, 42 feet 

 apart. This will give ample space when the trees get to be 

 very large; but in that climate, and northward to Colorado, 

 Utah and Idaho, the trees are so precocious, and bear so 

 abundantly, that it is doubtful whether they will ever attain 

 size to need so much space. 



"The Olden plan. Who has not heard of the famous Olden 

 Fruit Farm, in southern Missouri ? I made three prolonged 

 visits there to see it at different times of the year, and it 

 is well worth seeing. The oldest parts of the apple orchards 

 are just at good bearing age. It is planted mostly to apples 

 and peaches, but there are a few pears, plums and small 

 fruits. Each year more are added; last year 960 acres were 

 planted. J. C. Evans and L. A. Goodman are the leading 

 spirits of the company that owns and runs it. Their plan 

 for apples is 25x25 feet, in plain squares, and all of one 

 variety in a block, making 64 trees per acre, as in the lower 

 section of Fig. 37. The trees have not come to the age 

 that requires thinning by the ax, but they will do so in 

 time, for apple trees grow to a very large size in that rich 

 soil and agreeable climate. When it does come, they will 

 take out every other diagonal row, leaving 32 trees per acre, 

 37% feet apart the nearest way (diagonally), and 50 feet east 



