84 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



not less than 20 ItiL caili wax , and 20 

 by 24 would be better. The same ap- 

 plies to cherries and plums. Pears may 

 be set closer. 



"I would emphasize the necessity of 

 a thorough pre[)aration of the soil before 

 planting. It is hardly possible to give 

 too much attention to this essential. 

 A reasonable trimming of the roots and 

 low heading are now the slogans, on ac- 

 count of the great tiecessity of thorough 

 and careful spraying, and the greater 

 ease in gathering fruits of all kinds. 

 The tops should be cut back severely 

 and the tree started as near the ground 

 as possible, not more than two feet. 

 With modern labor-saving machinery it 

 is possible to cultivate a low-headed 

 orchard much more easily than form- 

 erly." 



In discussing essential points in plant 

 ing fruit orchards, Mr. Joseph Tweddle, 

 of Fruitland, says: "Having selected 

 site and soil suitable, the next in order 

 is the preparation of the soil. Contrary 

 to general expert advice and practice, 

 we have found it profitable to plant on 

 fresh plowed sod land instead of soil 

 which previously has been cultivated to 

 destroy all grass. True, it does require 

 more work to prepare and put in good 

 tilth and dig the holes and plant the 

 trees or vines, and more thorough culti- 

 vation the first season to kill the grass 

 or sod, but think of the advantages to 

 be gained from the decaying humus in 

 the soil holding the soil moisture from 

 the spring rains during summer. It 

 also affords winter protection to the 

 roots for the first and second winters 

 following planting. The little extra 

 labor is many times repaid. This meth- 

 od applies only to trees and grape vines 

 where the necessary work of hoeing is 

 but trifling and not to small fruits, 

 where the grass might cause endless 

 trouble. Humus is just as requisite in 

 the young orchard and vineyard as any- 

 where else on the farm, and will push 

 the trees and vines into a vigorous and 

 healthy start in life if properly handled. 

 Most growers delay planting because 

 their land is in sod. By working it for 

 a year or two they destroy this humus- 

 producing element. 



"With increasin^g wealth comes an 

 ever growing demand for higher quality, 

 and this applies in planting as to dis- 

 tance apart. The close planting is 

 gradually giving way to more liberal 

 space so necessary to the perfect de- 

 velopment of fancy fruit and the con- 

 sequent high prices to be obtained. 

 Without an abundance of light and air 

 for the foliage and the soil no tree can 

 produce high quality of fruit. Peach 

 orchards 12 by 12 feet are being replaced 

 by others 20 by 20 feet, and even more 

 by some of the leading growers. Wider 

 planting is being practised, too, with 

 other fruits. 



"Fillers are not so much used as form- 

 erly, growers preferring to grow some 



hoe crop at a safe distance from llie 

 trees till the trees require the whole 

 space. Few growers have the courage 

 to cut out the fillers in time and by 

 crowding the permanent trees they 

 cause them to grow tall. This is dis- 

 astrously expensive in pruning, spray 

 ing and picking later on. If fillers are 

 planted they must be of heavy bearing, 

 short lived varieties, suitable to the 

 soil and climate of the locality. Selec- 

 tion must be left largely to the wisdom 

 of tliejifTower. In sections where Wage- 

 ner and Ontario thrive they can be used 

 for fillers. In pears, dwarfs can be used 

 between standards or possibly currants, 

 gooseberries or raspberries can be plant- 

 ed in the rows of trees. Peaches grow 

 .so rapidly that it is scarcely profitable 

 to plant fruit as fillers. In some cases 

 raspberries and strawberries are used. 



"Planting should be done as early as 

 the soil can be prepared in the spring. 

 Trees should be dug early and well 

 heeled in. It is best to open the bunches 

 and stand the trees in a large furrow, 

 covering the roots so that no air can 

 reach them. Many trees are ruined by 

 careless heeling in. If planting is de- 

 layed into warm weather the young 

 rootlets start and the trees can scarcely 

 be got to the field and planted without 

 destroying them, or at least causing a 

 great check to the growth of the tree. 



VV'e must emjiliasi/.e early planting for' 

 good growth the first season. In case : 

 of unavoidable late planting, keep tin 

 trees wrapped in a damp cloth if nect 

 sary. In dry soil use half a pail of 

 water to a tree when the hole is filled 

 within four inches of the surface, then 

 fill in the balance with fine dry soil, s 

 mulch with coarse manure and keep the j 

 cultivator going." 



Mr. J. C. Harris, of Ingersoll, wrote 

 TiiE HoKTici LTiRiST as follows : "I 

 would suggest to intending planters that C 

 they set a number of trees in one comer j 

 of the orchard at close distances — say - 

 12 feet apart — or between the standard ;. 

 trees. These can be used any time be- • 

 fore they are 12 years old to replace ' 

 standards that have died or are not ■ 

 doing well. In this way a thrifty or- 

 chard of even size can be secured. j 



"During the past two years I have ' 

 moved over 1 00 trees 1 1 years old and 

 there is little difference between them 

 and the others planted the same year. 



"I prefer spring planting as soon as 

 the ground is fit for cultivation. Stand 

 ard varieties should be set at least ?-'^ 

 or 40 feet apart. Where fillers are usc( 

 Wealthy, Wagener and Ontario are the 

 most desirable in this section. The | 

 directions and instructions for planting ' 

 by nurserymen are usually satisfactory 

 and can be followed with safety." 



TKe Currant PatcK 



■W. E. A. Peer, Freeman 



I 



A FEW years ago currants were re- 

 ceiving little or no attention on 

 the part of the commercial fruit 

 grower. The price realized was so small 

 that only under favorable conditions 

 and convenience to market was it pos- 

 sible to receive sufficient returns to pay 

 for the cost of handling and marketing 

 this crop. Such a state of affairs dis- 

 couraged the planting of currants, and 

 led to the destruction of many planta- 

 tions in existence. This check in the 

 development of the currant industry 

 and the increasing demand for this fruit 

 has once more placed it among the de- 

 sirable crops to have included in the 

 fruit plantation. 



The selecting of varieties of currants 

 for planting is a very important con- 

 sideration, and one that if carefully 

 attended to will give ample returns in 

 cash and satisfaction for the trouble 

 taken. From a commercial standpoint 

 appearance has a great deal to do with 

 the final returns. Size plays an im- 

 portant part in establishing the price. 

 There is frequently a difference of two 

 cents a quart in the price paid for large- 

 sized currants in preference to small 

 ones. I have known buyers refuse to 

 handle the product supplied by growers 

 whose plantations were known to con- 



tain a large percentage of the smaller 

 varieties of currants. 



Among the varieties that might be 

 mentioned as undesirable on account of 

 their small size are Brayley's Seedling, 



S. C. Parker, Berwick, N.S. 

 One of the Delegates from tlie_Land of EvaOEcline 



