deeply. If the ground is liard, wet or poor, root growth is restricted 

 and as a matter of course top growth is also. Underdraining is of 

 prime importance. In nine cases out of ten it will pay, whether 

 the land is springy or not. (For the benefits of underdrainage, 

 review Lesson 2.) Tillage and underdrainage are therefore of 

 prime importance in preparing desirable foraging ground for the 

 roots of tlie trees. IS'o amount of subsequent labor can fully make 

 •up for badly prepared orchard ground. The more thoroughly pul- 

 verized, drained and deepened the soil is, the farther will the roots 

 travel for plant-food and the more will they obtain. There are 

 other reasons for softening the subsoil and lowering the water 

 level : The roots of trees penetrate deeper and the fruit is 

 injured less in time of drought. (The past season was very dry at 

 Ithaca ; apple trees in sod yielded small apples, which dropped 

 early.) It w^ill be seen from the above that the term '^ thorough 

 preparation of the soil " means as much when applied to the tree 

 grown as a farm crop as when applied to staples like wheat or corn. 

 The soil must be drained, deepened and pulverized — in short, sub- 

 dued. The subsoil plow may be used. It has important work to 

 do in preparing orchard ground. While doing this other crops may 

 be grown on it. Crops which require cultivation for at least part 

 of the season are best. Why ? Consult Lesson 2, paragraph 3. 

 You are preparing plant-food for the orchard tree. How the plant 

 gets its food from the soil was discussed in Lesson 4. 



Time to jplant. — One of the j^erennial inquiries addressed to the 

 experiment station man runs like this : " I am thinking of i^lanting 

 an orchard. When should I set the trees, in the fall or spring?" 

 The question is not an easy one to answer. Conditions of climate 

 and soil are tlie governing factors. Most people will admit that 

 fall, so far as convenience is concerned, is the best time to plant. 

 Then why not plant in the fall? Let us look into the matter. 

 Suppose that we cut three branches froin. the same tree in the fall. 

 One of these we will bury in the ground, the second we will plant 

 like a tree, and the third we will lay on top of the ground. AVliat 

 wi'l be the condition of these three branches in the spring? You 

 will say '" that would depend upon the kind of winter." If a winter 



377 



