48 FRUIT-GROWING 



formity in appearance seem to offset the 

 advantages claimed. In any event the modi- 

 fied forty-foot-square system outlined above 

 seems to me to combine any advantages that 

 the triangle system may have and to offer none 

 of its objections except during the compara- 

 tively short period between the removal of the 

 filler and the semi-permanent trees. 



The preparation of the soil for orchard plant- 

 ing may either precede or follow the making of 

 the paper plans. I am taking it up at this point 

 merely as a matter of convenience. 



If the orchard is to be planted on virgin soil 

 the removal of the forest will constitute a job 

 of considerable magnitude — considerably great- 

 er than the average planter realizes. I have 

 often heard land agents claim that the timber 

 standing on a certain tract would pay for clear- 

 ing it. This is no doubt true in some cases — 

 where the timber is of good quality and the 

 market accessible. In the majority of cases, 

 however, the timber will fall far short of pay- 

 ing the cost of clearing if the job is to be done 

 as it should be. 



The ideas of different men too will vary as 

 to what constitutes " clearing.' ' The removal 

 of trees and brush, leaving the surface covered 

 with stumps, does not provide a satisfactory 

 preparation of the land for an orchard. It is 

 of course much cheaper than the removal of 



