Preparing Land for an Orchard 23 



bruising. In some of the Western states, where the fruit 

 growers are well organized into compact communities, the 

 growers find that it is best not to get farther than three 

 miles under general conditions from the shipping point 

 when peaches are to be handled. The apple grower, on the 

 other hand, can get farther away than that, and the grower 

 of strawberries may not profitably get so far away. Where 

 the fruit producing area extends to a distance of several 

 miles away from the railroad station, spur tracks can 

 sometimes be constructed to reduce the distance. 



If one is not acquainted with the possibilities of any 

 particular location, when it comes to selecting the fruits 

 for a commercial orchard, it is always best to consult with 

 someone who is able to give the desired advice. Many 

 mistakes can be thus avoided. 



Preparing Land for an Orchard 



A serious mistake that is commonly made in planting 

 an orchard is to be in too great a hurry. An orchard is 

 planted to last for years, and undue haste at the beginning 

 will generally result in a shorter life for the trees. This 

 great hurry to get the orchard planted is most apparent in 

 lack of preparation of the soil. It takes time to put any 

 soil in the best condition to receive the trees, and fre- 

 quently, -to get the trees planted as cheaply as possible, 

 they are put into the ground before the soil is ready to 

 receive them. This is especially true when orchards are 

 planted on land from which the native growth has just 

 been removed. 



Land that is to be planted to orchard should be under 

 cultivation for at least two years before the trees are 

 planted, and especially so on lands which have a heavy 

 growth of timber. With such land all of the stumps and 

 roots should be removed, and this can be done at a much 

 smaller expense before the orchard is planted than after- 

 wards. New land is always hard to cultivate, because of 

 the roots which sprout and try to grow, and among young 

 orchard trees such sprouts cause endless trouble until they 

 are removed. It is best on" such new land to plant some 



