288 PLANTING. 



A_ B i ., 



0-87 Xrf 2 d 1-73 xd 2 

 If that number is odd, then, according as the odd line contains 



_ or r 4- 1 planting spots, the total number of planting 

 a d 



spots will be 



B 2A A - AB \ A -\- - an 



d"OWxd a d 1-73 x<T 



or 



^ 



Next suppose that -7 is equal to a whole number plus one-half, 



Cv 



then the number of planting spots in each line will be the same 



^4 

 and will be equal to ^7, and the total number will be 



A ( B \ AB A ( . , 



3 Vo- s= - + 



As before, all but the first term in the four preceding equations 

 may be dropped when the area, operated in is large, a small 

 percentage for contingencies being, however, allowed for ; and if 

 those equations are generalised into a single universal rule suffi- 

 ciently accurate for all practical purposes, we may say that 



When planting on the equilateral triangle pattern, in order to 

 obtain the number of planting spots, we divide the area expressed in 

 spiare feet by 0'87 times the square of the planting distance and in- 

 crease the quotient by the quotient of half the perimeter in feet 

 divided by that distance. 



GENERAL. In the subjoined table figures are given showing at 

 a glance the number of planting spots that go to the acre for the 

 most common planting distances in the three elementary forms of 

 arrangement. Such a table saves much tedious calculation. The 

 figures have been worked out by means of the three rules given 

 above in Italics, and not, as is usually done, by neglecting all but 

 the first term in each of the six: preceding formulae. This latter 

 procedure is inaccurate. Besides that the first term alone always 

 gives less than the actual number of planting spots, an appreciable 

 quantity of planting material has to be rejected by the time it 

 reaches the area to be stocked, or is lost in transit or during the 

 planting. The figures in the subjoined table being exact for one 

 acre, will give a small excess for larger areas, which excess is in- 



