cultivated. In the case of the wheat crop, not only does the plant 

 compete witli the tree for moisture and available plant-food, but it 

 allows of greater evaporation from tlie soil than occurs in the case 

 of a plant grown in rows, — like the turnip, sugar beet or potato. 

 Then, too, the wheat plant requires its moisture in tlie early part of 

 the season ; so does the apple. At this time the tree is making 

 wood and the wheat plant is making kernel. We should avoid, as 

 far as possible, tliis injurious competition. 



Orchards require clemi miltivation during the tree's growing 

 season, Jjut tlie soil also needs humus to preserve a good jphysical 

 condition and to j)romote chemical activity. — See Lesson 1. In 

 Lesson 2 the necessity of maintaining the supply of humus was 



k. 



18. — A three-year-old j)each orchard showing the effect of good care. 



made clear. This tliought has particular force for the fruit-grower. 

 Wlien an orchard is constantly under clean tillaij-e the store of 

 humus gradually diminishes. The truth of this statement finds 

 ready corroboration in the story of worn out nursery lands, where 

 the drain upon humus has been excessive. With the nurseryman, 

 cultivation is essential to the production of salable trees. The 

 whole strength of the soil is reserved for the tree. IS^o weed growth 

 is allowed to compete with the tree during its period of growth, and 

 the ground is often kept clean throughout the entire season as a 

 safeguard against mice and rabbits. When the tree is dug it is 

 removed literally root and branch. This is worse than the case 



392 



