Show SITE fOR ORCHARD Trees Should Be Planted With Reference to Land Contour MINIMUM EROSION OF SOIL t f r Plan Rows in n Such Way That Tillage f. f Spraying and Harvesting Operations Opera Opera- May Be Conducted With Greatest Ease A r United States Depart Depart- Prepared by the II merit ment o of Agriculture Where the site selected for an nn orchard or- or chard consists of steep slopes the thet t tre trees s should be planted with reference tl to the contour of the land The rows V k should be made mide In such a way that erosion of the soil will be reduced to a minimum and that tillage spraying ing and harvesting operations may be conducted con con- conducted ducted with the greatest possible ease case The distance for planting is governed gov- gov by the kinds of ot fruit to tobe be grown the habit of ot growth of or the var variety et and th the f of ot the soil soU Peaches may maybe be planted from 18 to 22 feet apart L pears about 24 feet apart and apples from 30 to 40 feet apart Mixed plantings such as ns apples and peaches are som sometimes profitable but butt the management problems are less t complicated whet when each ench fruit is planted d by itself Ea Each h variety should be planted In a n separate block to facilitate Proper Way to Plant Tree cession of ripe fruit over a long period a D greater grenter number of varieties may be used than where the ripe fruit is desired desired de de- sired over a short period of time The number of varieties of one kind of t fruit Is often influenced by the quantity It ty of other kinds of fruit which ripens t at the same salpe time In many luany se sections the number Dumber of varieties grown for market I 19 limited by the heavy shipping period I of other regions Kind of Trees to Plant Only trees that are thrifty and well well- lon grown and which have good roots and tops should be planted Thrifty well well- grown trees need not be the largest trees to be found in hi the nursery bu but often sized medium trees will be as ns d desirable as the larger ones Th The smaller grades in many cases consist of trees which are weak and stunted and often otten the root systems may b be bevery very poor Though the small trees tree may roay be bought at a lower price tha tho ine sized medium Hum or largo ones may prove costly In the end If they lack the vitality necessary tc make a n good growth u after t r being planted Apple plum pear and cherry tree are arc commonly planted as ns two two- year two olds that is after they have made two seasons seasons' growth In the nursery though many growers prefer one year old trees especially apple and cherry Peaches arc invariably planted as on one year Nursery trees should always bf packed in such a n way that the oot will not dry out and upon at nt the place where they fire are to b H planted they shou should d be unpacked ed Im mediately the trees can bt bE planted at they should be heeled heele in A place that Is well drained witt a n deep mellow soil should be selected for tor heeling in the trees A trench Is I dug of sufficient width and d depth tc receive the roots and the trees art carefully placed in this trench I that are tied In bundles should be sep before heeling in and the tIie e should be worked around the roots oi 01 each ench tree to prevent drying to an nn serious extent Preparation for Planting Thorough preparation of the soil soU it just as ns Important for planting an nn o OP chard as ns for tor planting corn corD or wheat Deep plowing and thorough harrow harrow- Ing ng are very essential nl It is a n very good plan to grow some some cultivated crop on the land the year preceding he the setting of the orchard This crop will not only put the land In bette mechanical condition but if a leguin legum legumInous Inous crop it will increase the plant X te r i. i THREE DIFFERENT GRADES OF PEACH TREES 1 harvesting but a block which contains a 11 sterile self variety should be located neat near a Mock block which contains a variety that is a n good S Selection lection of Varieties A great grent measure of the success with on nn orchard depends upon the proper selection of the varieties of fruit to tobe tobe be grown This selection of varieties requires considerable care and it is always well to find out what varieties best In the particular locality ty and to consult the best authorities In Inie Inthe the ie state The number of varieties to be grown will depend upon the purpose whether they are for home use or for t market and upon the kind of fruit Where the purpose is to have a suc- suc r. r food in the soil Preliminary to digging digging dig dig- ging the holes for the tr trees es many growers plow one or two furrows as ns aseep deep as as' as practicable along the line where the tree row is to go This plowing lowing saves considerable digging when planting the trees Setting the Trees Success in planting trees is made possible by avoiding unnecessary ex- ex of the roots and b by thorough inning firming of the soil solI about the trees the roots is a n common practice Ice tice where the ro rots roots ts are apt to be exposed ex- ex posed during planting operations In preparing the tree for planting nIl 11 bruised or broken roots should be beut cut ut off and nIl all excessively long roots hould pruned be-pruned back to correspond with the rest of the root system The Theoles holes oles for the trees should be large enough nough to admit the roots without ending bending and crowding and dee deep enough nough so that when filled the trees will be two or three inches deeper than they hey were in the nursery The trees should hould be set with a slant toward the direction of the prevailing winds After he the trees are set they should be pruned ack old year trees are usually cut ut back to a single stem 18 to 30 Inches high but If the trees are very arge three or four short stubs are left eft at the top of the main stem so as aso asto to o insure the growth of branches at nt athe the he point where it Is desired to form he the head o of the tree year Two trees rees should have haye short stubs left which are carefully selected to forn he the scaffold limbs of the trees |