A number of questions confront the prospective grower of fruits. He needs to know, among other things, the kind of fruit to plant, the necessary distance between the trees or plants and the probable yield. The following planting guide will be found helpful in answering these questions.
HOME FRUITS AND BEES
PLANTING GUIDE[4]
| Average number of plants to the acre | Kind of fruit | Distance between rows, feet | Distance between plants, feet | Estimated yield at maturity | |||
| Average per acre | Average per plant | ||||||
| 27 | Apples | 40 | 40 | 135 | bushels | 5 | bushels |
| 90 | Pears | 22 | 22 | 90 | bushels | 1 | bushel |
| 200 | Quinces | 16 | 16 | 100 | bushels | ½ | bushel |
| 90 | Peaches | 22 | 22 | 90 | bushels | 1 | bushel |
| 90 | Nectarines | 22 | 22 | 90 | bushels | 1 | bushel |
| 90 | Plums | 22 | 22 | 90 | bushels | 1 | bushel |
| 90 | Cherries (sour) | 22 | 22 | 90 | bushels | 1 | bushel |
| 48 | Cherries (sweet) | 30 | 30 | 50 | bushels | 1 | bushel |
| 6,000 | Strawberries (matted row) | 3½ | 2 | 2,250 | quarts | ¾ | pint per stool |
| 1,800 | Raspberries | 8 | 3 | 2,000 | quarts | 1 | quart |
| 1,800 | Blackberries | 8 | 3 | 2,400 | quarts | 1¼ | quarts |
| 1,200 | Dewberries (hill system) | 6 | 6 | 1,800 | quarts | 1 | quart |
| 1,800 | Gooseberries | 8 | 3 | 5,400 | quarts | 3 | quarts |
| 1,800 | Currants | 8 | 3 | 3,600 | quarts | 2 | quarts |
| 680 | Grapes | 8 | 8 | 4,000 | pounds | 6 | pounds |
The selection of varieties of tree fruits is highly important. Some sorts are preeminently adapted to home use because of their high quality of edibility while others are preferred for commercial production on account of their good shipping qualities and high yields per acre. It is advisable for the grower to inquire of his state agricultural college regarding varieties to plant. Responsible nursery firms will also advise on varieties that will best meet the needs of the purchaser from the standpoint of family use and adaptability to soil and climatic conditions.
The following varieties are recommended for general home use in north-central areas of the United States, subject to check by local authorities. The apple and peach varieties are given in the order of ripening.
Apples:
William
Wealthy
McIntosh
Rome
Stayman
Peaches (all freestone):
Golden Jubilee
Georgia Belle
Elberta
J. H. Hale
Pears:
Bartlett
Seckel
Cherries:
Montmorency or Early Richmond (sour)
Black Tartarian (sweet)
Plums:
Damson (blue)
Burbank (red)
About fifty strawberry plants will be needed for a row 100 feet long. Because of weed infestations in old beds, it will be more satisfactory to set a new row each year and destroy the old one. The plants during the season of setting should be trained to form a matted row about 2 feet wide. Mulching the plants after a freeze in the fall with straw or other similar material will prevent injury caused by “heaving” of the soil.
Currants and gooseberries should be pruned annually and only the one- or two-year-old wood retained for production. Thinning out in this manner will give better size and quality. Where the currant worm is troublesome the foliage should be dusted with arsenate of lead or Paris green as soon as it is well developed and before the fruit is started. About thirty currant or gooseberry plants will be needed for a 100-foot row, and they can be planted along a fence or other boundary line.