304 THE POMES 



apart. The large-growing varieties, like the Baldwin and 

 Greening, require the greater distance. The necessity for 

 plenty of sunlight and air, for thorough cultivation, and 

 for spraying makes wider plantings advisable. 



The planting is usually done in the spring, especially 

 where winters are severe. In some sections fall planting 

 is preferred. When the trees are set in the fall on well 

 prepared and thoroughly drained land, they become estab- 

 lished before winter sets in, and start to grow in the spring 

 as soon as weather conditions are favorable. This enables 

 them to produce a strong growth before the hot, dry sum- 

 mer overtakes them. 



The soil should be plowed, cultivated, and prepared as 

 thoroughly as for corn. If trees are set in sod land a hole 

 five feet in diameter should be dug for each tree. No grass 

 should be allowed to grow in this space and it should be kept 

 cultivated or mulched with straw. On well-cultivated 

 land, the holes are dug large enough only to accommodate 

 the roots; and the trees are set as directed in an earlier 

 chapter. It is better to err in getting the trees a little too 

 deep than not deep enough. 



Varieties. There is no " best variety " for all sections. 

 It is a safe plan to select the standard varieties that are 

 best adapted to each particular section. The principal 

 varieties grown in the apple-growing regions of America 

 include the Baldwin, Northern Spy, Greening, Winesap, 

 Jonathan, Mclntosh, Grimes Golden, Oldenburg, King, 

 Wealthy, Wagner, Ben Davis, Gano, Spitzenburg, and 

 Tolman Sweet. 



Cultivation. Cultivation should begin as soon as the 

 trees are planted. It is a common practice to grow corn, 

 potatoes, beans, or some other cultivated crop in the 



