COMMERCIAL SIDE OF FRUIT GROWING IN UNITED STATES. 149 



brief period of its existence, for it must be remembered that fifty years 

 ago two or three carloads of Peaches would have had a paralysing effect 

 upon any of our leading markets, whereas on July 25, 1905, Chicago 

 received several trainloads, aggregating 120 cars, which she managed 

 to dispose of with reasonable profit to the consignees and commission men. 



Now a few words as to methods of planting and arranging commercial 

 orchards : and allow me to say that my remarks will chiefly have reference 

 to Apple orchards. 



First the distance of trees apart. 



This varies with the locality : in the Middle Western States 25 to 30 

 feet for Apples is the usual distance ; in New York State 40 to 50 feet. 

 Quite the best orchard I know of in Western New York State has the trees 

 now standing approximately 60 feet apart each way. They were planted 



Apple Orchard, 30 x 30 feet apart. Half cut out at thirty years. 

 Western New York State. 



40 x 40 feet. They began to become crowded at forty-five years of age, 

 and they were thinned ten years ago by removing alternate rows diagonally 

 through the orchard. Each tree can now be driven round when spraying 

 and tilling. The sunlight reaches the leaves and fruit better ; and the 

 bearing surface is relatively larger. They bear ten to twenty barrels each 

 every bearing year. Most growers plant only one class of fruit in an 

 orchard. If they plant close, as some do, varieties which come into 

 bearing early are used as temporary trees, while the permanent positions 

 are occupied by the less precocious and longer-lived ones. Many fruit- 

 growers fail to recognise the injurious effects of close planting and con- 

 sequent crowding upon the health and productivity of the trees. 



The following figures, deduced from the examination of several 

 orchards, are conclusive evidence in support of the wider distances. 



