THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



251 



whatever. Those moved in November re-establish 

 themselves sooner than at any other season. So 

 generally is this known and acted upon by prac- 

 tical men, that not a few of those who cannot plant 

 their Apple or other trees in November, neverthe- 

 less lift them during that month, and lay them 

 in temporarily by the heels to lie there till placed 

 in their permanent quarters. The roots are merely 

 covered with earth, and roots and tops crowded 

 more or less closely together while in this transition 

 state. Occasionally leaf-mould, or other compost, 

 is scattered over the roots in order to intensify and 

 develop to the full the root-forming tendency of 

 the November season. 



The chief drawback to this intermediary planting 

 arises from its success in developing roots. These 

 are produced in such numbers, and grow with such 

 freedom, as to induce a most dangerous degree of 

 succulency and crispness of growth. Hence, when 

 the laid-in trees are removed to their permanent 

 quarters, not a few of their best and newest roots 

 are broken off or bruised out of useful condition, 

 the net result being a loss of time as well as of 

 force through the laying in by the heels of Apple or 

 other fruit-ti-ees in November, But by i)lanting 

 them in their permanent quarters at once the full 

 advantages of their abnormal root-activity are reaped 

 without any such drawback. To derive the fullest 

 possible advantages, however, from November plant- 

 ing, it is of importance to preserve the growing 

 roots from being severely frozen. This may be ac- 

 complished by covering them with from six to nine 

 inches of soil, or, better still, planting them as near 

 the surface as may be desired, and placing a mulch 

 of any long litter over them to a depth of from 

 six inches to a foot. Such a mulch, or surface 

 covering, is as conservative of moisture as of caloric, 

 and is one of the surest and simplest means of 

 commanding success in planting. 



pistance to Plant. — Fifty years ago or less 

 there were but two distances : twenty feet for wall- 

 trees or espalier, and thirty for orchards and stan- 

 dards. At times, hov/ever, and on strong soils and 

 sheltered localities, these distances were extended 

 to twenty -five or thirty feet for espalier and wall- 

 trees, and forty for those in orchards. The first dis- 

 tances can hardly be improved for the same sorts of 

 trees at the present day. 



The tendency, however, is to place the trees closer 

 together. The question of distance has now become 

 mixed up with that of stocks, as well as the character 

 of the tree. Thus, for example. Apple-trees for walls 

 or espalier on the Paradise stock may be planted as 

 closely as from ten to twelve feet, while the same 

 Apples on the Crab might be the better for a clear 



space between them of twentv or twenty-five feet. 

 The same rule will hold good with pyramidal or 

 columnar trees. Worked on the Crab, from eight to 

 ten feet will prove suitable distances ; worked on the 

 Paradise, from four to five feet will suffice. An- 

 other disturbing modern element also comes in to 

 upset the older distances. This is root-pruning, the 

 purport of which is to concentrate the fruiting force 

 of Apple and other fruit-trees into the most limited 

 area possible. Trees root-pruned may be planted 

 almost as close again as those not subjected to this 

 ■latest device for the husbanding of space as well 

 as of force, and for the development of fertility. 



Assuming that root-pruning will be more or less 

 resorted to, as well as dwarfing stocks, such as the 

 English or French Paradise, pyramidal Apj^les on 

 these may be planted at distances of from four to 

 six feet apart, six feet between the rows and four 

 from tree to tree being a useful distance for trees on 

 the French Paradise. Those on the English Para- 

 dise may have eight feet between the lines and six 

 from tree to tree. Vase-shaped trees or bushes 

 may be planted at almost equal distances, or six feet 

 apart each way, or six feet by four. On poor soils 

 good results have been reaped by planting small 

 bush Apples in rows four feet apart, the plants being 

 only three feet from each other in the rows. Ver- 

 tical and oblique cordons may range from eighteen 

 inches to thirty or even thirty-six apart, twenty- 

 four inches being a useful mean. Diamond cordon 

 Apples do well two feet or thirty inches apart. 

 These form largish squares that allow of a free ex- 

 posure of the leaves and fruits to sun and air, and 

 result in fruit of the finest qualit3^ Spiral or 

 waving cordons must have space proportioned to 

 their size. Those with an open centre a yard in 

 area should be seven or eight feet from centre to 

 centre. Horizontal cordons on the French Paradise 

 need not be more than four feet apart. Even on 

 these stocks, however, six feet is better for the 

 trees that are expected to last for several years, and 

 the double cordons should never be planted closer 

 than six feet, which only gives each half of the 

 cordon a yard run. 



Planted thus closely with fertile trees, it is quite 

 astonishing what enormous quantities of fruit can 

 be gathered from limited areas. 



The centre walks may either be planted with 

 espaliers, on the usual method or trained over the 

 walks to form arbours ; or the arch or pyramidal 

 trees may be planted in lines up to within six feet or 

 so of the walks, and then a line of horizontal cordons 

 run along as a super-edging to tiles or Box. Such 

 arrangements have a charming effect, and no method 

 of planting produces so much fruit in such a short 

 time and from such limited areas of ground. 



