6 



LEAFLET 2 2 7, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Size of Planting. —The size of the planting will vary with the 

 space available. In some locations there may be space for only a few 

 grapevines on an arbor or fence, a few fruit trees around the buildings, 

 or a row or two of berries by a fence. On other places the size of the 

 planting is determined by the needs of the family and by the kinds of 

 fruit that can be grown. Most small gardens (10 by 50 feet to 30 by 

 50 feet) should consist mostly of berries and grapes. A half-acre 



Figure 2.— Suggested arrangement for a half-acre fruit garden. Rows A and 

 Z?— Nos. 1 to 5, apples; No. 6, sweet cherry. Row C — Nos. 1 to 5, pears; Nos. 

 6 to 8, sweet cherries. Row D — Nos. 1 to 9, plums; Nos. 10 and 11, sour 

 cherries. Row E — red raspberries (2 varieties). Rows F to H — strawberries 

 (3 varieties). Row I — grapes (trained on a wire trellis or on a fence used as a 

 trellis). The fruit trees should be placed on the north side, if possible, to avoid 

 shading of the small fruits. 



garden that will furnish fruit in season for a large family is illustrated 

 in figure 2. 



When and How to Plant. — Usually a better stand of plants will 

 be obtained by setting them as early in the spring as it is possible to 

 prepare the soil. The ground should be prepared as thoroughly as for 

 a vegetable garden. It is important that the plants be entirely dor- 

 mant, with no buds starting, at time of planting. Also, the roots 

 should not be allowed to dry out. Berries and grapes should be set 

 at the depth they grew in the nursery. Fruit and nut trees should be 

 set slightly deeper. The roots should be spread out when the plants 

 are set. When the holes are dug the topsoil and subsoil are separated. 

 The topsoil is placed about the roots of the tree in the hole, and the 

 subsoil is used last to fill up the rest of the hole. The soil should be 



