PRACTICAL PAPERS—FRUIT GROWING. 
323 
Now in the light of twenty years’ experience what is neces¬ 
sary to success ? This is the question which concern us; a 
question that can be satisfactorily answered by hundreds of 
orchardists throughout the state. 
We have learned that all soils and all locations are not 
equally well adapted for lruit growing, and that very good and 
very poor locations may lie side by side—and were we to draw 
isothermal lines determining fruit belts, we should have to run 
them through nearly every man’s farm. Soil and location 
have as much to do with success or failure as has the climate. 
In early times many of the orchards were planted in low, shel¬ 
tered locations, in rich alluvial soil. The result led to the 
opinion that shelter was injurious, while the trouble was in the 
soil, and in the liability to early and severe freezing before the 
growth was finished. It was found that elevated locations, 
though much exposed and unprotected, were far better than 
the sheltered and frosty places in the rich valleys; the soil 
of the hills being much better adapted for the growth of tho 
tree, and the degree of cold much less. Elevated, well drained 
clay lands, with an eastern, northeastern or southeastern ex¬ 
posure, with protection on the west and northwest are best 
adapted for orcharding. 
Evergreens are best suited for purposes of protection, and 
no orchard should be planted, not naturally shielded by tim¬ 
ber, without them. When an orchard is much exposed, it is 
well, in addition to those planted on the west or north-west 
sides, to give them the place of the trees here and there 
through the orchard—or to devote a row occasionally to them. 
This is much better than to plant close for protection, for it is 
as necessary for the production of fruit that the sun-light 
should penetrate the ground in an orchard, as it is in a corn¬ 
field to grow ears of corn. Husks and cornstalks may be 
grown though planted close, but very little fruit or corn. 
Where land is abundant thirty feet each way is near enough 
to plant; in no case should apple trees be set nearer than thir¬ 
ty-five feet, and then, only by setting alternately spreading 
and upright growers. 
