THE HOME FRUIT GARDEN 



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

 B — 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 / — 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. 



and grapes at the same depth as they grew in the nursery and fruit 

 and nut trees slightly deeper. Spread out the roots when setting the 

 trees or plants. Separate the topsoil and subsoil when digging the 

 holes. Place the topsoil about the roots, and fill up the hole with the 

 subsoil. Thoroughly firm the soil about the roots to prevent drying 

 out and to help hold the tree in position. 



Pruning Before Planting. — Pick off all fully developed leaves 

 before planting strawberries. Cut back blackberry and raspberry 

 canes to 6 inches. Grapevines are usually cut back to one or two buds. 

 If fruit trees are unbranched whips, head them back to a height of 3 

 to 3Y 2 feet. If they have several good-sized branches well spaced along 

 the trunk, three or four may be left. The branches should be spaced 

 about a foot apart up and down the trunk and should point in different 

 directions. 



Cultivation. — The cultivation of the home fruit garden is similar 

 to that of the vegetable garden for the first part of the season. After 

 about September 1 cultivation of fruit trees, vines, and bushes should 

 cease. Cultivate strawberries until the end of the growing season. 

 Under most conditions the same methods of maintaining the fertility 

 of the soil that are followed in a vegetable garden are successful with 

 fruit. Where stable manure is available, its liberal use generally gives 

 excellent results. 



All berry plants should be given clean cultivation unless there is an 

 abundance of straw or other material to furnish a permanent mulch. 



