Book I. 



FORMATION OF AN ORCHARD. 



483 



2535. The sorts of plants made choice of for orchards are invariably standards, and half- 

 standards, and commonly such as are not more than one or two years from the graft. Aber- 

 crombie and Nicol prefer " maiden plants, or such as are only two years fi-om the bud or 

 graft, of all the above kinds, to older trees : haWng boles or stems of three or four feet 

 in length; the apples being worked on crab, and the pears on free stocks." 



2536, The ultimate distance at whick apple and pear trees should stand in an orchard is, according to 

 the same author, from thirty to forty feet, less or more, according to the quality of the soil ; taking as tlie 

 medium thirty-six feet. In a poor soU, and a bleak exposure, where the trees may not be expected to grow 

 very freely, thirty feet is sutlicient ; whereas in good soil, and in a sheltered situation, forty may not be too 

 much. Cherries and plums may be planted at from twenty-four to thirty-six feet, accor'ding'to soil and 

 situation, as above ; taking, as a medium, thirty feet for the ultimate distance at which they are to stand 

 clear of one another. But it would be advisable, in the first instance, to plant four trees for one that is 

 intended ultimately to remain ; planting the proper kinds at the above distances first, and then temporary 

 plants between them each way ; which temporary plants should be of the free-growing sorts that begin to 

 bear early, such as the nonsuch and hawthomdean apples, the may-duke cherry, and the Cra-srford and 

 yair pears ; or any others better known to produce fruit soon after planting. These should be considered, 

 and be treated as temporary plants from the beginning, and must give place to the principal trees as they 

 advance in growth, by being pruned away by degrees, and at last stubbed up entirely. If orchard-trees be 

 planted among shrubbery, fee. they may be planted at ajiy distance, exceeding forty feer, that may be 

 thought proper ; but they should not be planted nearer, otherwise they will too much confine the shrubs. 

 In this case it will not be necessary to plant temporary trees, as the principals will be nursed by the shrubs. 

 In bleak situations, if forest and other hardy trees be planted among the fruit-trees, it may not be necessary 

 to plant so many ,if any' temporary fruit-trees ; or these may chiefly consist of the hardier sorts, such as the 

 hawthorndean apple, the may-duke and moreUa cherries, and the Scotch geans, which produce fruit the 

 soonest. " In a good soil,'" Abercrombie observes, "the final distances at which the plants should stand 

 is twenty or twenty-five feet for full standards; of those kinds which reach but a moderate size as trees, 

 and thirty or forty feet for the larger-growing sorts. Temporary plants of such kinds as bear fruit soon 

 may be planted at half the final distances, in order to be pruned down, and at last removed, when the prin- 

 cipals require it" 



2537. The mode of planting best adapted for standard-trees is unquestionably that 

 of mudding in, and next that of fixing by water (2096'. 2097.) ; one or other of 

 these methods should be adopted, where success and immediate growth is an object, 

 and should be succeeded by staking, panning, mulching, clothing the stems, and 

 watering. 



25-38. Staking and protecting. " If the stem of a tree is rocked by the Tvind, the root is prevented from 

 shooting new fibres ; the ground is also opened, so that in winter frost penetrates, and in summer hot 

 drying winds. Having set up a firm stake to each high standard newly planted, twist a part of a hay band 

 round the tree to prevent it from galling, and with the remainder tie it securely to t.he stake." {Aber- 

 croynbie.) Forsj-th and Xicol agree in recommending staking to prevent the trees from being wind-waved. 

 In respect to protection, Xicol obser\-es, " If the orchard be not completely fenced, every care should be 

 taken to guard the plants from hares, by properly bushing them round with thorns ; which I think is the 

 most effectual method, and that least injurious to' the trees." 



2559. Panning and mulching. Let a small basin or hollow be made round the stem of each tree, a foot or 

 eighteen inches in diameter, and two or three inches deep, according to the extent of its roots. Fill this 

 basin with littery dung, to the thickness of five or six inches, over which sprinkle a little earth just 

 enough to keep it from being blo^vn about. This both nourishes the young fibres, and keeps the ground 

 about them moist in hot weather, if wetted freely once a-week. yXicol's Kal. 220.) To protect the roots 

 of autumn-planted trees from the frost of the succeeding winter, and from drought in the summer, Aber- 

 crombie directs to " lay mulch about the stem, to the distance of two feet round, and six inches in thick- 

 ness ; or substitute dry'litter, or a thin layer of turf in summer." Forsyth says, " if it prove dry the spring 

 after planting, dig up some turf, and lay it round the stem of the young trees with the grassy side down- ■ 

 wards ; this will keep the ground moist, and save a deal of watering ; if the trees have taken well this 

 need not be repeated, as they will be out of danger the first year. The turf should be laid as far as the 

 roots of the trees extend; and when it is rotted, it should be dug in^ which will be of great service to 

 them." 



2540. Clothing the stev7s of standard-frees by an envelope of moss, or short grass, or litter wound round 

 with shreds of matting, is of great use the first vear after planting, to keep the bark moist, and thereby aid 

 the ascent and circulation of the sap in the alburnum. This operation should be performed at or soon 

 after planting, and the clothing may be left on tiU by decay it drops oft' of itself ; it is of singular service in 

 verv- late planting ; or when, from unforeseen circumstances, summer planting becomes requisite. 



2^1. TVaiering. Newlv planted orchards must be attended to in respect to watering, which should be re- 

 peated the oftener as the season advances, till the trees strike into the soil. " If the planting is performed 

 earl v in autumn," .\bercrombie observes, " while the weather is yet hot and dry, a little water may be given 

 to assist the roots to strike; but thev ought not to be soaked with water, nor need watering be repeated. 

 At planting late in spring, should the ground be dry, give a moderate watering ; which repeat about once 

 a fortnight during the hot months. Supposing the plantation to have been made in winter, should a very 

 dry spring follow, a few waterings may be necessary until the plants strike." 



2542. The best season for jylanting an orchard is the autumn, as soon as the trees have, 

 ripened their wood and dropped their leaves. The work properly executed at this sea- 

 son, the trees will push out fresh fibres the same year, and be ready and able to push out 

 shoots of considerable vigor in spring. ^Vhen autumn planting is impracticable, the 

 next best is in the beginning of February-, or as early as the season will permit. 



2543. In a desigfi recently coynposed, for combining an extensive kitchen-garden uith a 

 fotrer-garden and orchard fig. 430.), the last surrounded the two former, and served to 

 shelter them. The kitchen-garden {d, ii, u) occupied a parallelogram in the centre ; 

 the flower-garden (y, (j), with its botanic hot-houses (^, h, i), a semicircuiar area at the 

 south end ; tlie gardener's lodge {b), gardener's house and garden-offices (c), and 

 nursing departments ( p, p), a similar area at the nortli end ; and the orchard (t, r) sur- 

 rounded the whole. The south and north ends {b, e) were approached by carriage-roads 

 (a, a, a), and the sides by walks (/)• The hot-houses were partly in north and soutli 



