236  JOURNAL  OF  HORTIVULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  March  12,  1903. 
Mixed  Plantations  of  Fruit  Trees. 
The  object  of  forming  a.  mixed  plantation  of;  fruit  trees, 
standards,  or  lialf-standards,  and  bushes  is  a  speedy 
return,  and  during  tlie  wlmle  continuance,  for  half  a 
century  or  longer,  a  good  result.  This  is  insured  by  what 
is  termed  a  top  crop  and  an  under  crop.  The  top  crop  commonly 
consists  of  Apple,  Pear,  or  Plum  trees,  and  the  under  crop  of 
bush  fruits,  such  as  C’urrants,  Gooseberries,  and  Raspberries,  and 
sometimes  Strawberries. 
The  mixed  system  is  that  practised  by  market  gardeners,  small 
liolders,  and  cottager  for  many  years.  There  are  many  varia¬ 
tions,  or  combinations,  as  adapted  to  different  circumstances  and 
requirements,  of  Avhich  four  are  shown  in  the  accompanying 
illustration,  fig.  1. 
In  that  of  A,  the  top  crop  consists  entirely  of  Apples,  standard 
trees,  22ft  distance  apart  each  way,  also  that  distance  from  the' 
boundary  fence,  where,  just  within  the  fence  or  hedge-plant  line, 
is  a  surrounding  of  Damson  and  hardiest  of  Plum  trees,  lift 
distance'  asunder,  these  forming  the  screen,  and  answering  the 
two-fold  purpose'  of  shelter  and  of  profitable  production,  where 
otherwise  there  would  not  be  either  one  or  the  other. 
The  under  crop  of  A  is  composed  of  Gooseberry  bushes,  three 
rows  between  the  Apple  tree  lines  and  one  row  in  the  same  line 
as  the  Apple  trees,  the  Gooseberry  plants  being  5Jft  apart  eacli 
way.  In  order  to  have  some  return  from  the  foundation  of  the 
plantation  a  row  of  early  Potatoes  is  taken  between  two  rows  of 
trees  and  bushes,  and  also  in  the  lines  of  trees  and  bushes,  the 
crop  being  cleared  in  time  for  planting  in  the  place  of  the  Potato 
crop  withiayered  runners  of  Strawberries,  they  being  Avell  rooted 
and  planted  in  late  July  or  early  August,  IGjin  distance  apart, 
giving  a  good  crop  of  fruit  the  following  summer,  and  duly 
attended  tO'  after  fruiting  will  be  good  for  another  season’s  pro¬ 
duction,  Avhen  they  must  be  cleared  off  the  ground. 
In  the'  fourth  year  the  Gooseberries  will  commence  their  period 
of  profitable  return,  having  given  no  inconsiderate  crop  in  the 
third  year, and  Avill  attain  best  production  about  the  seventhyear, 
continuing  to  yield  profitably  up  to  the  fourteenth  season,  Avhen 
they  should  be  cleai-ed  off.  The  Apple  trees  Avill  have  commenced 
giving  a  remunerative  return  about  the  seventh  year,  and 
attained  the  period  of  good  production  by  the  fifteenth  year,  and 
will  need  support  tO'  enable  them  to  carry  their  heavy  crops.  After 
the  Gooseberries  are'  cleared  off  the  ground  .should  be  Avell 
manured,  and  to  utilise  the  ground  a  crop  of  early  Potatoes  may 
be  taken  ,so  far  as  compatible  with  the  working  of  the  land  ,so  as 
not  to  injure  the  roots  of  the  Apple  trees.  The  Potato  crop, 
cleared  in  Jxdy,  .serves  as  good  preparation  for  the  laying  doxvn 
to  grass,  and  this  being  done  shortly  after  the  Potato  crop  has 
been  cleared  there  will  be  fodder  for  sheep  keep  in  the'  folloxving 
spring  and  a  top  cro'p  of  Apples  in  the'  shmmer,  this  continuing  for 
at  least  half  a  century  fi'om  the  date  of  the  plantation  formation, 
and  for  a  generation,  or  thirty  years  from  that  of  its  being  made, 
a  profitable  Apple  orchard  in  grass. 
The  arrangement  of  the  trees  and  bushes  in  A  is  in  squares, 
this  in  the  ultimate  Apple  orchard  allowing  the  sun  to  shine  on 
some  of  the  ground,  a  point  of  no  little  importance  to  the  health 
of  the  trees,  to  the  growth  of  grass  xmluable  for  young  stock,  for 
placing  hen  coops,  and  for  facilitating  ladder  rearing,  itc.  There 
is  ahs'O  a  goodly  distance  between  the  outer  lines  of  Apple  ti’eos 
and  the  screen  of  Damson  and  hardy  A'arieties  of  Plum  trees 
abutting  on  the  boundary,  so  that  a  cartway  practically  exi.sts  all 
round,  meaning  moi’e'  open  space,  more  grass,  and  more  room  for 
hen  and  chicken  coops,  it  not  being  xvisc,  after  the  Gooseberry 
bu.shes  are  gone,  to  carry  all  the  eggs  in  one  basket,  but  utilise 
everything  to  be.st  advantage.  The  Damson  or  hardier  varieties 
of  Plum  trees  still  remain  at  the  boundary,  and  they  xvill  abide 
almost,  if  not  f|uito,  as  long  as  the  Apple  trees  in  profitable  pro¬ 
duction,  imovided  that  Avhen  too  tall,  or  too  straggling,  the 
branches  are  headed  off  about  1ft  from  the  branching  point,  thus 
inducing  productive  young  xvood  to  spring  fro'in  the  stumps. 
Protection  from  intruders  is  readily  had  in  gahmnised  iron 
posts  and  five  to  eight  strands  of  barbed  wire,  rabbits  being  ex¬ 
cluded  by  yard  high  gah'anised  wire  netting,  xvhich  .should  be 
let  into  the  ground  and  bent  outward  so  as  to  prevent  their  bur¬ 
rowing  under. 
In  B,  also  intended  for  forming  an  Apple  orchard  in  grass,  the 
trees,  standards,  are  planted  22ft  distance  apart,  the  outer  line 
and  end  trees  of  each  alternate  line  half  that  distance  from  the 
boundary,  and  the  arrangement  is  what  i.s  popularly  known, 
but  Avronglj',  as  quincunx*,  it  being  “opposite  A'acancy.” 
Between  the  lines  of  Apple  trees  are  three  roAvs  of  Raspberries, 
and  one  in  the  Apple  tree  line,  the  roAvs  being  o^ft  apart,  and  the 
plants  on  each  roAv  IG^in  (only  half  number  shoAvn  for  clearness) 
apart.  The  boundary  fence  i.s  planted  Avith  sca'cii  quicks  or 
Tliorns  and  one  Holly  per  yard  run,  and  needs  posts  and  rails  4ft 
distance  outside  to  keep  off  cattle  and  horses  until  the  hedge  has 
grown  up. 
*  ■Quincunx  proper  consists  of  five  trees,  one  at  each  angle  of  a  square,  and 
another  in  centre  of  the  s«iu-re. 
Tlio  .space  betAveen  the  lines  may  be  utilised  the  first  year  for 
growing  Potatoes,  or  other  vegetable  crop  not  calculated  to  en¬ 
croach  on  the  Raspberries,  the  canes-of  these  being  headed  off  at 
1ft  height.  In  the  third  year  the  Raspberries  come  into  re¬ 
munerative  bearing,  and  attain  full  pi'oduction  about  the  sixth 
year.  This  is  kept  up  till  the  twelfth  .year,  Avhen  they  then,  Of 
soon  afterwards,  are  cleared  off  and  the  ground  laid  doAvn  to  grass, 
the  Apple  trees  being  nearing  or  quite  at  the  period  of  good  pro¬ 
duction,  and  it  Avill  increase  for  as  long  a  period  and  continue  for 
quite  tAvice  the  time  afterAvards.  The  trees  in  this  instance  are 
given  the  greatest  space,  the  open  .spaces  are  chopped  up  more,  so 
that  the  top  crop  of  Apples  is  relatiA'ely  more  prejudicial  to  the 
under  crop  of  grass. 
The  tAvo*  plans  A  and  B  represent  Avhat  may  be  termed  the 
small  holdings  and  farmers’  plan  of  forming  an  Apple  orchard,  b.v 
first  acting  on  plantation  lines,  Avhich  is  more  certain  of  a  good 
result  than  the  old  bad  plan  of  planting  trees  on  grass  AAhere  the 
soil  is  totally  unfitted  for  lack  of  the  preparation  Avhich  the  plan¬ 
tation  method  insures.  In  order  to  secure  a  permanent  orchard 
care  mu.st  be  taken  to  get  the  land  deeply  cultivated  AAotli  rich, 
deep  soil,  or  a  fcAV  years  of  fertility,  if,  indeed,  it  be  attained, 
Avill  only  be'  the  precursor  of  disappointment.  On  naturally  deep 
friable  loams  the  trees  succeed  Avell  enough  on  the  planting  in 
grass  .s.ystem,  but  most  soils  are  the  better  for  being  put  in  order 
for  planting  b.y  either  steam  cultivation  or  trenching — the  latter, 
though  expensive  at  the  start,  is  of  permanent  benefit.  The 
trees  for  orchards  should  be  standards  on  the  free  stock,  not 
Crabs,  the  latter  often  quoted,  but  very  fexv  trees  are  thereon. 
In  generou.s  .soils  the  distance  apart  ought  to  be  24ft,  though  I 
have  given  22ft  as  general l.y  adaptable,-  and  on  particularly  rich 
and  deep  alluA'ial  soils  the  distance  for  the  strong-groAving 
A'arieties  should  be  30ft  apart.  The  planter  must  exercise  judg¬ 
ment,  forming  an  opinion  by  the  groAvth  of  trees  in  the  locality, 
the  Apple  trees  near  by  shoAving  a  kindly  and  free  growth,  free 
from  overgrowth  of  lichen  and  moss  and  an  absence  of  canker; 
then  Apple  trees  of  up-to-date  varieties  may  be  expected  to 
flourish,  not  otherAvise. 
In  C  is  shoAvn  a  mixed  plantation  of  half-standard  Plum  trees, 
lG;)ft  apart  each  Avay,  Avith  tAvo  rows  of  Currants  between  and  one 
roAv  in  the  line  of  Plums,  Sift  apart,  Avith  six  roAV  of  Strawberries, 
2ft  9in  apart,  the  plants  being  IGjin  asunder;  thus,  one  row  of 
Strawberries  is  in  the  Currant  and  Plum  line,  tAvo  rovA’s  are  in  the 
Currants,  and  three  rows  alone  between  the  Currants,  Avhile  there 
are  two  rows  between  the  outside  roAV  of  Plum, and  Currant  trees 
and  the  boundary  fence. 
The  Plum  trees,  and,  also.  Currant  bushes,  are  arranged  in 
“  opposite  A'acancy  ”  order.  As  the  StraAA-berries  are  planted  in 
March  there  is  no  return  in  the  fir.st  year,  but  in  June  and  July 
of  the  second  season  they  bear  a  full  ci'op,  and  the  Currants  al.so 
produce  some  fruit.  In  the  third  year  the  StraAvberries  yield  a 
considerable  quantity  of  fruit,  and  after  the  crop  is  gathered  the 
plants  are  usually  uprooted  and  cleared  off.  In  this  year,  the 
third,  the  C’urrants  yield  a  remunerative  return,  and  the  Plum 
trees  generally  bear  a  little.  At  seA'en  years  from  the  date  of  the 
plantation  the  Currants  are  in  full  production,  and  the  Plum 
trees  afford  a  remunerative  return.  The  Currants  Avill  not  be 
materially  prejudiced  by  the  Plums  for  some”  time,  but  as  the 
Plum  trees  spread  the  Currants  nuist  be  curtailed  and  altogether 
removed.  Yet  Avhat  is  lost  in  Currants  is  gained  in  increased  pro¬ 
duction  of  Plums.  These  acquire  full  productiveness  about  the 
fifteenth  year,  and  are  to  be  relied  on  for  about  as  long  a  period 
aftei’Avards. 
If  desired,  the  plantation  can  be  laid  doAvn  to  grass  Avhen  the 
Currants  are  cleared  off,  and  A\here  Green  Gage  and  other  Gage 
Plums  succeed  this  is  an  excellent  method,  as  the.y  appear  to  do 
better  on  gi’ass  tJian  on  bare  soil.  It  is  assumed  that  for  this 
plantation  the  situation  is  sufficiently  .sheltered  naturally,  aiul 
cnly  needs  the  protection  of  a  fence.  If  the  plantation  is  laid 
doAvn  in  grass  the  loAver  branches  may  be  lopped  off  from  time  to 
time  as  they  become'  feeble  and  unproductive,  and  thus  the  stems 
raised  to  standard  height. 
In  the  grass  Avhere  the  ground  is  not  matted  Avith  the  roots 
of  the  Plum  trees  at  the  surface,  or  too  inuch  OA'crhung  by  the 
heads  of  the  trees,  SnoAvdrops.and  Daffodils  may  be  planted,  and 
the  floAvcrs  yield  no  insignificant  return. 
In  the  mixed  plantation  shown  at  D  there  is  a  boundar.y  line 
of  Damson  trees  just  Avithin  that  of  the  fence,  intended  for 
shelter,  and  to  giAm  early  remuncratiA'c  return.  The  interior  is 
planted  Avith  half-standard  Apple  and  Plum  trees,  IGaft  apart, 
one  Nut  bush  betAveen  each  Apple  and  Plum  tree  in  the  line,  and 
tAvo  roAvs  of  Black  Currants  betAvecn  the  rows  of  trees  .G^ft  apart. 
The  Apple  trees  are  on  the  Doucin  stock,  and  come  into  bearing 
speedily.  The  arrangement  being  that  of  the  square,  early 
Potatoes  or  other  not  prejudicing  crop  can  be  grown  betAveen  the 
roAvs,  either  lengtliAvise  or  crossAvise.  Violets,  too,  may  be  groAvn. 
The  Black  Currants  begin  to  proA'e  remunerative  in  the  third 
year,  and  the  Apple  trees  aa  IU  yield  a  fair  crop,  Avhicli,  Avith  some 
Plums  and  Damsons,  probably  also  some  Nuts,  Avill  prove  remune¬ 
rative  on  the  Avhole.  From  the  third  year  the  plantation  will  not 
only  pay  its  Avay  but  afford  a  profit,  increasing  year  by  year  up  to 
I  the  tenth  or  tAvelfth  year,  when  the  Currants,  for  the  most  pai“ 
