CHAPTER VIII 



LAYING OUT AN ORCHARD 



Within the last few years many plans for laying out orchards 

 have been suggested. There are advocates of the " Wellhouse plan," 

 the " Olden plan," the " Parker Earle plan," and the like, each 

 of which offers many advantages for particular locations. The size 

 of the orchard to be laid out and the contour of the land will largely 

 determine the choice of plan. 



Large orchards. For the laying out of a large orchard on land 

 that is quite level, some helpful suggestions are to be found in 

 the methods described by Van Deman ! and Yeomans, 2 two well- 

 known New York fruit men. A brief summary of these similar 

 methods follows. 



A base line is laid out along the side of the field, generally on 

 the straightest side, such as that bounded by a road, a wire fence, a 

 stone wall, or the like. Stakes are set at both extremities of this 

 line, and a perpendicular to it is erected at one end. The erection 

 of this perpendicular may be accomplished by means of a common 

 carpenter's square, sighting along both limbs and having one limb 

 coincide with the base line. A right angle may also be established 

 by the surveyor's method, as follows : Measure 30 feet along the 

 base line and set a stake, A ; then with a distance of 40 feet on 

 the tape line and A, or the extremity of the base line, as a center, 

 mark off a segment of an arc in the direction which the perpen- 

 dicular will take, as B ; and with A as a pivotal point and a dis- 

 tance of 50 feet on the tape line, mark off another segment of the 

 circle at B, cutting the previously made segment. Set a stake at 

 the intersection of the two segments. The perpendicular can be 

 established by sighting over this newly placed stake from the origi- 

 nal stake at the end of the base line. Next, measure off on both 



1 II. E. Van Deman, orchardist, Rochester, New York. 



2 T. G. Yeomans, orchardist, Walworth, New York. 



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