THE CULTIVATION OF ORCHARDS. 



There is probably no subject upon which pomologists differ so 

 wideh' as the methods of cultivating orchards. These differences 

 arise very largely from the different soils and circumstances of the 

 various orchards, and it is useless to attempt to reduce them to 

 one system of practice. Yet, whilst all advice touching the cul- 

 tivation and management of fruit plantations must be subject to 

 many exceptions and modifications, there are certain underlying 

 principles which every fruit-grower must consider and which must 

 form the basis of all operations. 



The object of all cultivation is to furnish the plant with the 

 best materials and conditions of growth. Plant food must be sup- 

 plied and moisture must be consei^-ed. It should always be 

 remembered that the soil itself is the greatest storehouse of plant 

 food and that the first consideration of the farmer should be the 

 attempt to utilize it. The application of plant food in the form 

 of farm manures or other fertilizers must always be a secondary 

 consideration. It should also be known that the very treatment 

 which best utilizes the natural food resources of the soil, is also 

 the best conservator of moisture. This treatment is tillage. 



Preliminary considerations- — All subsequent treatment will fail 

 of best results if the original preparation or selection of soils is 

 imperfect or hasty. In the first place, the fruit grower must be 

 sure that his soil and location are adapted to the particular fruit 

 he desires to plant. In the second place, the soil itself should be 

 in good condition before the trees are set. Soils which enjoy 

 perfect natural drainage are particularly desirable for orchards, 

 because they are not only warm and give up their fertility easily, 

 but because they also allow of voxy early cultivation, which is an 

 important requisite in the management of orchards. If this per- 

 fect natural drainage does not exist, tile-drainage should be em- 

 ployed, until the soil is brought into the best possible condition. 

 It should be said that many hard and wet soils make excellent 

 pear and plum lands when thoroughly tile-drained. It is a com- 



