460 SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



nurseries. It is immaterial where the nursery is located, provided the 

 trees it furnishes are true to name, thoroughly healthy, entirely dormant, 

 fully matured before digging, and free from all evidence of faulty storage 

 or improper handling of any kind. The wood should not show any conspicu- 

 ous blackening at the heart, and the roots should show entire freedom from 

 woolly aphis, crown-gall, hairy root or borers. 



One-year-old trees of good medium size are usually best, and in no 

 case should they be older than two years from the bud or graft. One-year 

 trees usually cost less, are more easily shipped and transplanted and their 

 heads can be properly formed, which is not always the case with older trees. 



It is well to order early, although the trees may be held at the nursery 

 subject to shipment at planting time. Fall planting is often advisable 

 where the winters are not too severe; otherwise, planting should be done 

 in the spring as soon as the soil is fit. When received the trees should be 

 examined and "heeled in" if practicable, with the dirt packed closely about 

 the roots and the tops sloping toward the south or southwest to reduce the 

 danger of sun-scald. Before planting, the roots should be shortened back 

 to about six or eight inches and those broken or bruised should be removed 

 with a smooth cut above the point of injury. 



Laying Out the Orchard. — The orchard may be laid out either on the 

 square or the hexagonal plan. The latter gives about 15£ per cent more 

 trees to the acre at the same distance apart, or 15§ per cent more space for 

 each tree at the same number per acre. The former, however, is rather 

 better for inter-cropping, spraying, etc., and in general is rather more 

 simple to care for. 



A good planting distance is 40 by 40 feet for the permanent trees, with 

 a semi-permanent or filler set in the center of the square. In the case of 

 the smaller-growing varieties, the central trees may often remain indefi- 

 nitely, without disturbing the general plan of the orchard. Where inter- 

 cropping is desired, the permanents may be set at 32 by 48 or thereabouts, 

 and then have "the semi-permanents placed in the centers of the long sides, 

 with very satisfactory results. The latter plan allows two more trees to 

 the acre than the square at 40 by 40, or a total of 56 trees, including both 

 fillers and permanents. 



The number of trees allowed per acre for any distance in the square 

 or rectangular arrangement may be readily found by determining the num- 

 ber of square feet in the square or rectangle formed by the nearest four 

 trees, and then using this number to divide 43,560, the number of square 

 feet in an acre. To find the number needed in the hexagonal arrangement, 

 find the number allowed by the square plan at the specified distance and 

 then increase this number by 15.47 per cent. 



The square or rectangular arrangement can be laid out readily by 

 plowing straight, deep furrows for the rows and then drawing a chain or 

 other drag across them at the distances required for the trees. The hex- 

 agonal plan is best laid out by means of a couple of light wires or chains, with 



