March.] THE ORCHARD. 231 
cutting them clean off, close to the places from whence they pro- 
ceed, or to some young shoot or small leading branch, as may 
appear most eligible for giving the tree an open spreading form, 
leaving no stumps or spurs. 
Should you not be able to procure trees having furnished 
and well formed heads, and you are obliged to take such as are 
thin of wood and running up tall, plant them, having their roots 
dressed as before, but without touching their heads for the present. 
So soon after planting as their buds begin to push, head them down 
to within six, eight, or ten inches of the place where you wish them 
to branch out for forming their heads; they will then throw out 
young vigorous shoots, which you may afterwards train and thicken, 
or make thin at pleasure, by judicious pruning in the following 
years; or should any of these young shoots in the course of the 
succeeding months take too great a lead of the others, you may 
top them in July, which will stop their rampant growth, and cause 
them to throw out side shoots that will still enlarge a foundation 
for numerous branches, and not carry off too much of the sap from 
the others. 
Should it happen that any of your trees have large heads and 
but few or scanty roots, reduce their tops by a select and judicious 
pruning to a due proportion with their roots; for an ox fed only 
through a wren's quill, could not long exist. This will seldom 
happen, unless by accident or carelessness in the taking of them 
up, provided they are raised at proper distances in the nursery. 
The arrangement of the trees in the orchard should be in rows, 
each different kind of fruit separate, and at distances proportionate 
to the nature of their growths. Apple and pear trees may be 
planted at fifty feet distance every way; cherry and plum, at from 
thirty to forty; peach, nectarine, apricot, almonds, and quinces, 
at from twenty -five to thirty feet; and at still greater distances, if 
you are not limited in extent of suitable ground, and you intend 
to raise various crops between the trees. 
You should have great regard to the distance of planting the 
trees, which is what few people have rightly considered; for if you 
plant them too close, they will be liable to blights; the air being 
thereby pent in among them, will also cause the fruit to be ill-tast- 
ed; for a great quantity of damp vapours from the perspiration of 
the trees, and the exhalation from the earth mixed with it, will be 
imbibed by the fruit, and render their juices crude and unwhole- 
some; besides, it is the opinion of some well informed naturalists 
and orchardists, that these vapours and perspiration of the trees, 
collect the heat of the sun, and reflect it in streams, so as to cause 
what is called a fire-blast, which is extremely hurtful to fruit, and 
most frequent where the orchards are open to the south sun. 
Having your trees in readiness, proceed to stake or mark out the 
ground, according to the above or greater distances, placing a small 
stake or mark where each hole is to be made for the reception of 
the trees, which, if made to range every loay, will have a very 
agreeable effect, admit the currency of air and sun's influence more 
effectually, and make the orchard still more convenient for tillage. 
