STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 4I 



be lost, this sowing of a vigorous "hungry" crop in midsummer 

 stops the rapid growth of the trees caused by early tillage, by 

 taking into itself the plant food which would otherwise be taken 

 by the tree, the new wood hardens down before freezing 

 weather, and there is far less danger from winter killing. The 

 heavy matting of vegetation protects the soil, holds the snow, 

 and prevents washing and gullying during the winter. 



Comparing this system of cover cropping and tillage with the 

 opposing system of grass or mowings Experiment Stations have 

 found interesting and valuable results. Let me quote the results 

 of the investigation of the Nebraska Station in this direction. 

 Their report says "Trees in cultivated ground suffered less 

 from drought and drying winds than in sod. No yellowing or 

 dropping of the leaves was noticeable in the cultivated plots. 

 The apples in the cultivated orchard averaged 14% larger in 

 weight than in the pastured orchard, and 17% larger than where 

 the land was mowed." 



Other stations have found that trees grown under cultivated 

 conditions have superior root systems to those uncultivated. 



At the Woburn Experimental farm trees set in sod made 

 from 35% to 41% less wood growth the first year, and from 

 74% to 87% less wood growth the second year than trees under 

 cultivation in the same orchard. More than this, the first year 

 these trees bore fruit the yield of the trees in sod was reduced 

 71% and the value of the fruit 82%. 



Instead of being used to encourage the growth of trees, sod 

 or grass is used to check growth and may for the time being 

 induce fruitfulness. 



If you do not desire to cultivate your orchard, at least keep 

 five or six pigs per acre and let them do the cultivating and 

 devouring windfalls containing eggs of insects which may cause 

 trouble later on. That it pays to cultivate and care for an 

 orchard is shown by the photographs which I submit for your 

 inspection. 



While I have condemned the practice of growing hay in an 

 orchard and selling it, I would not say that cropping an orchard 

 with cultivated crops was not desirable or not a commendable 

 practice. Providing proper fertilizers are used in the right 

 quantities, certain crops can be grown in an orchard, especially 



