Planning and Planting the Orchard 45 



spoiled because the primer is not given the room to train 

 them properly as are spoiled by incompetent pruners. 

 It is true that peach trees can be grown when set 16 x 16 

 feet, but they cannot be developed properly, unless it be 

 on some of the lighter mesa soils. 



Cherries should have about the same amount of room 

 as the peach. Some of the sour cherries of the Morello 

 type are poor growers, and could be planted closer; and 

 if some of the upright-growing sweet varieties are to be 

 allowed to take their natural form, they may be grown 

 closer, but a better plan would be to give them plenty 

 of room and spread the top by proper pruning. 



If properly trained, pear trees will utilize all the space 

 when planted twenty feet apart. Some kinds may be 

 planted closer and be allowed to grow in their natural 

 form, but is it doubtful whether it is advisable. 



Both peaches and pears may be crowded to sixteen' feet 

 in the row, leaving the one wide middle, but, with the 

 peaches, especially, it hardly permits cross-cultivation 

 after the trees reach any size. 



When planted on the square, 20 X 20 feet, 108 trees 

 maybe planted to the acre; set 16 X 20, the number will 

 be increased to 135. After forming a general idea of the 

 plan and distances for planting, it may be necessary to 

 modify them to suit the particular piece of land to be 

 planted. Suppose, for example, that we are planting a 

 square ten-acre plot, and that we decide to set the trees 

 30 X 30 feet; the rows will contain 22 trees each way, 

 and give a 15-foot border. But with a fence around the 

 orchard this border is hardly wide enough, and by reducing 

 the distance between trees 6 inches each way, 5 feet could 



