Planning and Planting the Orchard 47 



becomes necessary to remove them. Varieties of apple 

 that bear young may be used as fillers, and such varieties 

 as the Missouri (Pippin), Wagener, and possibly Rome 

 (Beauty) may be made to yield good returns. 



Fillers give best results in the orchard laid out on the rec- 

 tangular plan; in fact, it is difficult to place fillers to advan- 

 tage when the permanent trees are set by the hexagonal 

 system. With the permanent trees set on the rectangular 

 plan, the best place for the filler is in the center of each 

 rectangle, or in the " diamond," as it is sometimes termed. 

 This doubles the number of trees per acre, and gives all the 

 trees the maximum amount of available space. Some 

 object to this system, however, and prefer to plant the 

 fillers in the row, leaving one wide middle. 



With the permanent trees 30 feet apart, apple or peach 

 fillers may stand in the row from 6 to 7 years, and if 

 they are planted in the diamond, it is safe to say that 

 they could stand 2 years longer. If fillers are to be em- 

 ployed, they should be given the maximum amount of 

 available room, and pruned sparingly to encourage early 

 fruitfulness. The average man, however, will have better 

 success in growing crops in the young orchard instead of 

 trying to secure an early income from fillers. 



Interplanting of Varieties 



The interplanting or mixing of varieties to secure cross- 

 fertilization has been widely recommended, especially 

 in the East; and while it is doubtful whether any one is 

 willing to say that it is necessary or even beneficial in 

 the arid fruit regions of the West, it is probably wise, 

 at least, to avoid planting large blocks to a single variety. 



