LAYING OUT AN ORCHARD 



63 



Fig. 21. Diagram of square system 

 Showing area occupied by trees, and waste space. 

 The large circles show the limit of growth of the trees ; 

 the shaded portion is waste area, forming 23 per cent 

 of the total area. This method gives unequal exposure 

 to light and air 



the field, and the waste space 

 is still, in reality, 23 per cent. 

 The least unoccupied area 

 is attained in the hexagonal 

 system. When trees are 

 planted in this way, only 10 

 per cent of the area is un- 

 occupied, and the trees are 

 distributed evenly over the 

 field. All trees are equidistant, 

 forming a series of equilateral 

 triangles. About 1 5 per cent 

 more trees per acre can be 

 planted by this method than 

 by the square system, yet 

 with the same distance be- 

 tween trees. 



The Use of Fillers 



The use of early-bearing 

 and shorter-lived trees as 

 fillers in an apple orchard is 

 strongly recommended. By such means the orchard should have paid for 

 itself and yielded a good /%/*?% 

 income before the per- " 9 *+ Q *J <f Q 



manent trees come into 



bearing. Either peaches ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ . 



or early-bearing apples, 

 such as the Wagener or 



Wealthy, may be used. £J> 9 Q q, <J> q> Q 



Some strongly advocate 

 the use of dwarf apples, 



but others consider that 9 <? 9 9 <? 9 9 



they do not come into 

 bearing much earlier than _ 



the standard varieties. L r 9 ^ 9 ^ 9 ^ 



Results of experiments at 

 the New York State Ex- ^ ^ 



periment Station, Geneva, 

 are unfavorable to the use 



of dwarf trees from this C^ 9 Q 9 Cjk 9 Q 



standpoint. 



In setting out an or- 

 chard by the square sys- 

 tem the permanent trees 



Fig. 22. Square system 



Orchard planted with permanent trees and fillers 



C^J^ Permanent trees C& Fillers 



