1811 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



79 



extending it annually, so as to cover the roots, will 

 produce astonishing results in the growth and fruit- 

 fulness of the trees. 



Ground, whether level or rolling, with a subsoil 

 retentive of water, should be stirred as before speci- 

 fied, and then thrown into ridges. Make a land of 

 the space between each of the intended rows, and 

 plow towards each row until broad, permanent 

 ridges are formed, some eighteen inches higher than 

 the bottom of the dead furrows between the rows, as 

 represented in the accompanying cut. 



RIDGING UP. 



This arrangement of the surface should be a per- 

 manent feature of the orchard for all time. To 

 attain it, after-plowing should be in the same direc- 

 tion of (never across) the ridges and dead furrows — 

 plowing alternately to and from. The trees, of 

 course, should be set in straight rows across the 

 broad ridges, and should also stand in rows across 

 the ridges. For convenience in cultivating, after 

 the preparation here described, the trees should not 

 be less than twenty-feet apart along the ridges. 



Under-draining and 'deep tillage, next to mulch- 

 ing, are the best preventives of drouth. Lands 

 deeply drained and deeply pulverized, possess an 

 increased power of absorption — attracting and re- 

 taining an increased amount of moisture, whenever 

 the atmosphere is in a humid state. " Such lands 

 also suffer less, in riany seasons, from excessive 

 mois.ture — for the same qualities which enable them 

 to absorb moisture when there is a scarcity, enable 

 them to throw it off when there is a superabund- 

 ance." 



Under-draining excites early growth and maturity 

 of the wood of fruit trees, by the soil being much 

 earlier drained in the spring, and warmed to a de- 

 gree necessary to stimulate vegetation. With such 

 vigorous, early growth, the trees harden up their 

 wood nicely for winter. 



LAYING OUT THE ORCHAKD. 



As a general rule, but two forms need be studied 

 in laying out an orchard — the Square, made up of 

 four, one standing at each corner ; and the Quin- 

 cunx, or form of five. The latter has the advantage 

 of distributing the trees more equally over the 

 surface, and thus economizing space, and is more 

 ornamental. 



To lay off the ground in the Square form, draw a 

 straight line for the first row. Then, with a survey- 

 or's chain, or a tape-line, proceed to space it off for 

 the trees, and place a short stake firmly where a 

 tree is to stand, a, b, c, d, k. This work cannot be 

 done accurately with a common line, as it is liable 

 to stretch more or less at each measurement. Then 



at right angles from the first line, measure off and 



stake a line from each end, b, f, g, h, and b, f, o, h. 



E F G H 



D 



E 



E 



P 



G 



H 



SQUARE FORM. 



Between the last two stakes in the end rows, 

 measure off and set a line of stakes which will be 

 parallel and opposite to the .first row. The interior 

 space of the plat should then be measured off, and 

 stakes set to indicate the exact point where each 

 tree is to stand. To have an orchard pleasing to the 

 eye, the trees must be accurately arranged. A sin- 

 gle tree out of line makes ^ deformity. 



■■■B 



D 



E 





QUINCUNX FORM. 



To obtain the Quincunx form, lay off the first 

 row. A, B, c, D, E, as before. Next, hold one end of 

 the line on a, and describe an arc in the direction 

 of F ; then from b to f ; the intersection of the two 

 arcs will indicate the point f, where the first tree 

 in the second row is to stand. Proceed in the same 

 manner, describing arcs,, from b to g, and from c to 

 G, and until the stakes are all set for the second 

 row. The points for the trees in each additional 

 row will be indicated by the ranges and measure- 



