111 
you next complete the fourth side of your rectangle, making it (the rectangle) 
as wide as your planting wire is long. Stake the fourth side, and then stretch 
your planting wire from the second stake on your base line to the second stake 
on the fourth side. Stake and then shift to the third peg on each line, and 
so on till the other end is reached. Tf you have taken your right angles 
correctly, and kept the wire strained equally tight;all through, you will now find 
that the rows of stakes are in line in every direction, and the land is ready 
for planting the trees. ; 
If the stakes are to be permanent, as in the case of vines, then they 
should be substantial, Say not less than 8 inches square, and of wood that is 
not readily destroyed by white ants, such as the hard wood of bloodwood, 
ironbark, or cypress pine; but where the stakes 
are used simply to mark off the 
land and are taken away when the treo is planted, then there is nothing better 
than plastering laths or thin pieces of stringybark or other suitable timber. 
Planting in Hexagons.—T 
tree at an equal distance fr 
ground than any other method 
greater surface to the wind th 
inner ones. 
he hexagonal or equilateral system places every 
om all others, and more completely fills the 
- It has also the advantage of presenting a 
an a square, the outer trees thus protecting the 
The following drawing shows the method of planting in hexagons, which 
is done as follows:—Lay off and stake the 
base line in the same manner as when RRO pa Re ET EID 
setting out a square. Set off the two side Poe RR A es Phe 2a Remarc 
lines at right angles also as described, but, + / as ae ae 
instead of placing the stakes at the same fhe HEAP er fo} as {0}. 
' 
1 ' 
’ ’ 
N . . “nh . . . 
distance apart as they are on the base line, 
the distance between the rows should be in 
the proportion of ‘866 to the distance the 
stakes are apart on the base line; or, in 
other words, if the stakes are 20 feet apart } EY ee od 
on the base line, then the distance between ; Ro feerreeo Sere Seto eritey sf 
the rows will be as nearly as possible 17 feet ! + E® Ap aa: 
2 
. z 
, . io My om f tF . 
’ Qos woe ae st 
. ran ue 
iQ) Q Q p 
a ks eae ass on 
‘ ey, eat ie to ' 
+ » . . ha 
eae y f . ‘ ‘ 
° . 
. . z 
. ’ 
dinches. Instead of starting from the base oan 
line to the fourth side, as isdone in the case 1; a ae! ay Tacha hs 
oo ae (oS o EERE o PieEnn nnn oatennnaeo) 
of planting in squares, stake along the rows, _ ’ 
taking care that the stakes on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, &c., rows come mid- 
way between the stakes on the Ist, 3rd, 5th, 7th, &c., rows, which is done 
by having a mark on one end of the planting line, midway between the ring 
and first mark; and if this mark is placed against the end stakes in the even 
numbered rows, it will bring all the marks on the line midway between those 
of the odd numbered rows, so that the stakes will appear as shown in the 
illustration. 
; , 
- 
at . : 9 ee . 
Do not plant your trees tov close together, as, though you will get an 
earlier return from the orchard, the growth of the trees will be cramped as 
they grow older, and the quantity and quality of the fruit will deteriorate. 
With certain varieties of trees, such as walnuts, chestnuts, strong-growing figs, 
and mangoes in rich soils in the more tropical parts of the colony, it is desirable 
to plant the trees from 40 to 50 feet apart each way, and in this case quick- 
growing trees may be planted between the permanent trees till the latter 
require the whole of the land, when the quick-growing trees may be cut out. 
This is best managed by planting in one of the following manners :— 
Ist. The Quincunx.—Here we have a square of four trees, at right angles 
and equidistant from each other, with a tree planted exactly in the centre, 
just where two lines drawn diagonally from the opposite corners of the square 
would intersect. 
