March.] THE ORCHARD. 231 



cutting them clean off, close to the places from whence they pro- 

 ceed, or to some young shoot or small leading branch, as may 

 appear most eligible for giving the tree an open spreading form, 

 leaving no stumps or spurs. 



Should you not be able to procure trees having furnished 

 and well formed heads, and you are obliged to take such as are 

 thin of wood and running up tall, plant them, having their roots 

 dressed as before, but without touching their heads for the present. 

 So soon after planting as their buds begin to push, head them down 

 to within six, eight, or ten inches of the place where you wish them 

 to branch out for forming their heads; they will then throw out 

 young vigorous shoots, which you may afterwards train and thicken, 

 or make thin at pleasure, by judicious pruning in the following 

 years; or should any of these young shoots in the course of the 

 succeeding months take too great a lead of the others, you may 

 top them in July, which will stop their rampant growth, and cause 

 them to threw out side shoots that will still enlarge a inundation 

 for numerous branches, and not carry oft' too much of the sap from 

 the others. 



Should it happen that any of your trees have large heads and 

 but few or scanty roots, reduce their tops by a select and judicious 

 pruning to a due proportion with their roots; for an ox fed only 

 through a wren's quill, could not long exist. This will seldom 

 happen, unless by accident or carelessness in the taking of them 

 up, provided they are raised at proper distances in the nursery. 



The arrangement of the trees in the orchard should be in rows, 

 each ditt'erent kind of fruit separate, and at distances proportionate 

 to the nature of their growths. Apple and pear trees may be 

 planted at fifty feet distance every way; cherry and plum, at from 

 thirty to forty; peach, nectarine, apricot, almonds, and quinces, 

 at from twenty-five to thirty feet; and at still greater distances, if 

 you are not limited in extent of suitable ground, and you intend 

 to raise various crops between the trees. 



You should have great regard to the distance of planting the 

 trees, which is what few people have rightly considered; for if you 

 plant them too close, they will be liable to blights; the air being 

 thereby pent in among them, will also cause the fruit to be ill-tast- 

 ed; for a great quantity of damp vapours from the perspiration of 

 the trees, and the exhalation from the earth mixed with it, will be 

 imbibed by the fruit, and render their juices crude and unwhole- 

 some; besides, it is the opinion of some well informed naturalists 

 and orchardists, that these vapours and perspiration of the trees, 

 collect the heat of the sun, and reflect it in streams, so as to cause 

 what is called a fire-blast, which is extremely hurtful to fruit, and 

 most frequent where the orchards are open to the south sun. 



Having your trees in readiness, proceed to stake or mark out the 

 ground, according to the above or greater distances, placing a small 

 stake or mark where each hole is to be made for the reception of 

 the trees, which, if made to range every way, will have a very 

 agreeable effect, admit the currency of air and sun's influence more 

 effectuallv, and make the orchard still more convenient for tillage. 



