ORCHARD NOTES.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 530, 8 June 1880, Page 3

ORCHARD NOTES.

(By “Agetcola.”) The season for planting fruit trees is at hand. Though that season extends to several months, I think it preferable to plant early rather than wait to the depth of winter, when the ground is saturated with wet and not fit to he touched with a' spade. Those about to plant extensively—two or three acres or more —will, or ought to, have the land ready, by being ploughed, harrowed, scarified, and rolled, and, if necessary,subsoiled and drained. The. soil can hardly be in too fine a condition for young trees. On heavy clay land, that may not be properly.drained, trees should be planted as near the surface as possible, and the roots covered with good rich mould. By throwing the earth up around the trees, the surface water will drain off without injuring the roots. The width that trees should be planted apart must depend upon (1) whether the plough is proposed to be used among them; (2) upon the size and shape the trees arc about to be trained; (3) the positionof the site of an orchard. Asa general rule, it is no advantage to plant trees very wide apart. If the method known as station planting is proposed to be adopted, it is absolutely necessary that the ground be di-aincd, especially clay land. As the trees grow the space will require to be enlarged. But even on these, stations trees must not be planted too deep; and in planting all fruit trees, great care should be taken in having the fibrous roots spread evenly out and round the tree—not all on one side.