FRUIT PLANTATION, 325 



best plan is to let a good ploughman draw shallow furrows 

 across the land in both directions, the distance between 

 them being that required between the trees. A light 

 double-breasted plough, such as is used for ridging, does 

 the work well. Wherever the lines intersect a hole is dug 

 for a tree, and further precautions are taken to keep the 

 rows straight by sighting along them whilst actually 

 planting, or when driving in the stakes if standard or half- 

 standard trees are used for these must be put in before 

 planting. The sites for any bushes that are to go be- 

 tween the trees can be measured out afterwards by hand, 

 using a garden line. It is very desirable to have the rows 

 of both trees and bushes quite straight, so that horse cul- 

 tivation can be done in two directions whilst the trees 

 are young. 



Distances Apart for Trees. Some varieties of any kind 

 of fruit are of much more spreading habit than others; 

 so that, to make the most of all the available space, dis- 

 tances apart should really vary for different varieties. But 

 this cannot be done where horse cultivation is to be em- 

 ployed, so we must be content to give all the same space. 

 Of Apples, Pears, and Plums, full standards should be 

 2oft. to 24ft. apart each way; half-standards, i$ft. to 

 2oft. ; and bushes (dwarf trees), loft, to i2ft. Cherries 

 need to be 3oft apart. Usually the larger distances are 

 to be preferred, but the smaller ones are enough on very 

 poor land, where the trees naturally do not spread so much. 

 Some growers fill the space economically by alternating 

 weak and strong-growing varieties ; but we do not favour 

 this, as it makes for confusion when gathering is in pro- 

 gress, besides which some kinds are more prone to certain 

 pests and diseases than others, so that it is most con- 

 venient for all purposes to have the varieties separate in 

 blocks. . These blocks should not, however, be too large, 

 as it has been found that some kinds are self-sterile, and 

 need the pollen and other varieties to fertilise their bloom 

 and enable it to set. 



