DETERMINING PLANTING DISTANCES AND PLAN 181 



(c) Consider Merits of Various Planting Plans, The 

 grower should decide upon his planting plan before ordering 

 his trees. Given the distance between the trees, the plan or 

 arrangement will determine the number required for a given 

 area. 



The square system is widely used. The trees are equal 

 distances apart and at right angles to each other, with a tree 

 on the corner of each square. Simplicity in laying out and ease 

 of cultivation and spraying characterize this arrangement. If 

 the trees are planted too closely, it is easy also to thin them 

 out by removing alternate trees. 



The square system is the most desirable if fillers are to 

 be used. With a permanent tree on each corner of the square, 

 a filler or semi-permanent may be placed in the center of the 

 square. Thus, if the permanent trees are 40 feet apart, the 

 semi-permanents will be 28^/4 feet from each permanent. This 

 is known as the quincunx method. Additional fillers may be 

 placed in both directions if desired, making all trees 20 feet 

 apart. 



The square system may be modified by making the rows 

 farther apart from east to west than from north to south, 

 permitting the maximum access of sunlight to the trees and 

 constituting what is sometimes called the rectangular system, 

 as distinguished from the square method. 



The hexagonal or triangular system brings the permanent 

 trees in the adjacent row not opposite the trees in the first row 

 adjoining, but opposite the center of the spaces between the 

 trees. .The trees are the same distance apart as in the square 

 system, but space is saved and more trees may be planted 

 per acre. Thus, the square system, 40 by 40, gives 27 trees 

 per acre, whereas the hexagonal system, 40 by 40, gives 32 

 trees per acre. This system is a little more difficult to lay out 

 than the square system and is not so well adapted to the use 

 of fillers. 



Special systems developed to meet local conditions may be 

 required where the land is steep, the topography irregular, or 



