54 
THE APPLE. 
of frost and drought. As we bring the roots nearer to the surface, it 
is of the more importance that they should be protected by a super 
covering, to protect them from the extreme vicissitudes of climate. 
The distance apart to plant apple trees must be determined by the 
size of the trees, the conditions of soil, site, climate, habit, and the 
object of the cultivator. The distances may range from 2ft. to 40ft. The 
first may not be too close for oblique cordons, and the latter may not 
be too much for permanent orchard trees on good soils. Much also turns 
on the habit of different varieties. Such wide-spreading sorts as the 
Nonsuch and Beefing require a far wider area than the closer-growing 
varieties, such as most of the codlins and pippins. Hence, even orchard 
trees may have a wide range of distance, from 15ft. to 40ft. Soil and 
climate must also be allowed for. Taking 40ft. as the maximum distance 
for orchard trees on good soils, 20ft. would be ample on thin and poor 
soils. It is also good practice, and pays well, to plant supernumeraries, 
to be cut out after a few crops to make room for the permanent trees. 
Hence most orchards are planted at first with about three times the 
number of trees that are to remain permanently; that is, every other 
row and every other tree are cut out as the space is required by the 
permanent trees, The distance between pyramids, again, may range 
from 5ft. to 15ft., according to their sizes ,• and similar distances will be 
found useful for bush trees. 
Horizontal cordons may be planted from a yard to 4ft. or 5ft. apart, 
and it is a good plan to graft the heads of one tree into the root end of 
the other, when it reaches it, thus making a continuous and self-sup¬ 
porting rope of fruit from one end of the line to the other. Oblique 
and diamond cordons may be planted as closely as from 15in. to 30in. 
In general terms, it may be stated that the better the soil and the 
more favourable the climate the vdder apart for all sorts of trees; the 
worse the soil and the more ungenial the climate, the closer should they 
be planted. 
Cropping. 
I—Thinnijhg. 
Many crops of apples are wrecked between the setting of the fruit and 
the time they reach the kitchen or dessert. Overloading is the cause of 
full half the apple failures one sees or hears of. In favourable springs 
almost each blossom sets and each apple tries to grow into full size. 
