1904.] 



Planting Fruit Trees and Bushes. 



453 



spread out to their full length. Nothing is more fatal to success 

 than the mere digging of small holes and the sticking of the 

 trees and bushes in so that their roots will be doubled up or 

 cramped in space. Unless the land is in high condition or has 

 been manured before it was ploughed, it is desirable, before the 

 holes are dug, to cart some farmyard manure on to the field, 

 placing small heaps at short intervals of space, so as to be 

 within easy reach from each hole when planting is carried out. 



If standards or half-standards are to be planted, strong stakes 

 will be required, not less than 7 ft. long for the former or 6 ft. 

 for the latter. They should be driven in so as to be about 

 18 in. below the surface of the soil before planting is done. If 

 placed exactly in the centre of each hole the stakes will be in 

 straight lines, and the trees tied to them must be so also. It is 

 much easier to drive in the stakes before planting than after- 

 wards, besides which possible injury to the roots of the trees is 

 avoided. 



A good distance for cherries is 30 ft. each way, bush plums or 

 apples being planted between them, to stand until the cherry 

 trees shade all the ground. Raspberries, usually grown by 

 themselves, but occasionally as bottom fruit, may be set in rows 

 5 ft. apart, with 2 ft. in the rows. For strawberries, 3 ft. by 

 1 ft. 3 in. will do well. 



The choice of varieties is too wide a subject to be dealt with 

 here. Some varieties are suitable to certain districts and soils 

 and not to others, so that the novice should always seek local 

 information. A local grower of experience would be able to 

 give good advice as to the varieties which flourish best in his 

 district, and as to the best market sorts. Again, some varieties 

 of apples are best as standards or half-standards on the crab 

 stock, and others as bushes on the paradise. Upon these and 

 other points sound information is to be obtained of any experi- 

 enced nurseryman, or may be found in such excellent but 

 expensive guides as Wright's " Fruit Manual " (Virtue & Co.), 

 or the new edition of Thompson's " Gardener's Assistant " 

 (Gresham Publishing Co.), or in the cheap but excellent manual 

 by Mr. J. Cheal, entitled " Fruit Culture " (Bell & Sons). While 

 it is desirable for market growers to plant only a limited number 

 of the best bearing and selling varieties, so as to have a good 



