110 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN. 



feet in diuiiu'ter, and from two to three feet deep; 

 and in the (•ciitru to plant a tree. In rich deep loamy 

 soils trees often succeed when planted in this manner, 

 and as often fail, the hole becoming in wet seasons a 

 pond. 



Orcliard trees, as a general rule, should be planted 

 twenty-four feet apart, row from row, and they are 

 for the most part planted twenty-four feet apart in the 

 rows, so as to stand that distance apart over the whole 

 orchard. I now propose that the rows should be 

 twenty-four feet apart, but the trees twelve feet a])art 

 in the rows, so as to allow of one-third more trees to 

 tlie acre. In^teail of (liircing larire holes, slips, six 

 feet wide,- should be marked out on the turf, so that 

 the centre of each is twenty-four feet apart ; each 

 slip shoulii then be trenched, or, as it is often called, 

 " double-dug," to a depth of two feet, turning the turf 

 to the bottom of the trench and briniring the subsoil 

 to the surface. A row of trees should be planted in 

 tlie centre of each slip, twelve feet apart, and after 

 the lapse of some fifteen or twenty years every alter- 

 nate tree should be either removed and replanted or 

 irrubbed up. As such large standard trees would 

 require much care in transplanting, and even then 

 proliably not succeed, the latter may prove the more 

 economic mode. By thus planting more trees than 

 required for a permanent orchard, a great advantage 

 is reaped, i'or the temporary trees will, it the land is 

 good, bear a largo quantity of fruit, and amply repay 

 tiieir cost, which is trilling; for whereas niuety-tivc 

 trees lire re(iuii'eil to plant one acre, twenty-four feet 

 apart, liy tlie aboMi method 111' may be planted. 1 



