-8- 



The B-verage yield for four years of orchards where 

 the trees were not over 30 x 30 feet epart was 186 bushels; 

 for those between 30 x 30 and 35 x 35 feet, 222 bushels; 

 for those over 35 x 35 feet, 229 bushels. Some of the 

 more striking indications of close planting may be seen 

 in the long armed upright growth with scarcely any foliage 

 on the lower branches. As the trees gradually grow to- 

 gether at the top, the sunlight is shut off, the lower 

 limbs begin to bear inferior, poorly colored fruit and 

 finally die. 



Now if it is true that only the upper branches bear 

 good fruit, it can be readily seen that there is a great 

 loss in bearing surface on these closely planted trees, on- 

 ly the top area bearing fruit, while in well-rounded, pro- 

 perly pruned trees, planted at the correct distance, the 

 bearing surface would be at least three times as great. 



If the trees are found to be too closely planted, 

 and some must be removed, it ic well to follow some re- 

 gular plan, so as to retain the conformity of the orchard. 

 When the trees are planted in squares, as is generally the 

 case, in old orchards, every alternate tree in the rov/ may 

 be removed. This is accomplished by removing every se- 

 cond row diagonally. If the squares betv/een the trees 

 were originally 25 x 25 feet, they v/ill, after removing 

 every alternate tree in the row, then be 35.3 x 35,3 feet. 

 If originally they were 30 x 30 feet, they will now be 



