98 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



LAYING OUT FOR PLANTING IN SQUARES 



It is very desirable, both for convenience in cultivation and for 

 the beauty of the orchard, .that the trees should stand in straight 

 lines, and care should be taken to attain that end. Most orchards 

 and vineyards in this State are laid out in squares; that is, the 

 rows of trees or vines are all at right angles to each other, as shown 

 in the accompanying sketch. This is the simplest arrangement; 

 and by some of our largest planters is held to be the best. It is true 

 that the trees are not equidistant from each other in all directions, 

 and that, theoretically at least, there is a portion of the ground 

 unused supposing that the roots occupy a circle, as do the 

 branches. Practically, however, it may be doubted whether the 

 hungry roots of well-grown trees or vines leave any portion of 

 the soil unvisited. 



There are also forms of double squares and alternating squares 

 available for planting at long distances, with growths between, 

 which are ultimately to be cut out, or for vines between fruit trees. 

 Such mixed planting is, however, but little practiced in California. 



VARIOUS WAYS OF MARKING FOR SQUARES 



Marking With a Plow. This method was used in laying off 

 some large orchards in the Sacramento Valley. A common two- 

 horse turning plow is rigged with a "marker" a light wooden bar 

 extending at right angles from the beam, the bar being as long as 

 the desired distance between the rows of trees. On the end of this 

 bar a crosspiece is fastened perpendicularly, so that it scratches 

 along on the surface of the ground. The line of the first furrow 

 has to be designated by a flag stake, to which the plowman proceeds. 

 When this is done, the team is turned and sent back along the next 

 row, the location of which has been fixed by the marker, and so on 

 for the length of the field, the marker being turned each time to 

 indicate the next furrow. Following the same course the other way 

 of the field leaves the trees to be planted at the intersection; of the 

 furrows. 



Measure and Sight. Another method which is quite commonly 

 used and answers a good purpose in small plantings is the combi- 

 nation of measure and sight. The sighting stakes are usually plas- 

 terers' laths pointed at one end and whitewashed to make them more 

 visible to the eye. In the use of these it is necessary to measure the 

 distances and locate the laths to mark the ends of the rows all 

 around the field. Then locate a line of laths across the field each 

 way through the center, these laths occupying places which the trees 

 of these two central rows will fill. After these are in place, meas- 

 urement can be dispensed with, and the job can be finished by sight- 

 ing through. The man on the ends of the rows has three laths to 



