122 Bulletin 153. 



been established and the shallow root-systems had been formed. 



In another class of cases, the grower is misled by an occasional 

 very heavy crop into the belief that his orchard is successful. 

 It is the habit of sod orchards to over-bear at long intervals, or 

 whenever all congenial natural conditions chance to be in unison. 

 Tilled orchards tend to l)ear more continuously, but may not bear 

 so heavily in occasional years. If the " bearing year " is ever to 

 be controlled, tillage is the first step towards that end. 



In other cases, sod orchards thrive because the}^ have been well 

 manured by the droppings of animals which are pastured in them ; 

 but the good results in these instances are due to fertilizing, not 

 to sod. It does not follow, however, that this is the best way to 

 fertilize orchards, although it has the great merit of expediency. 



Sometimes seeding-down is the only practicable means of 

 caring for an orchard, because the land is so hilly or rocky that 

 it cannot be tilled. 



There remain other instances in which sod seems to be a decided 

 benefit to an orchard. These are cases in which it seems to be 

 necessary to check growth on lands which are over-rich or which 

 hold so much moisture that some of it can be profitably utilized 

 in the growing of grass. On parts of the Cornell grounds, we 

 think it necessary to seed down about fruit trees, because the 

 land has been made so rich that the trees are over-growing and 

 splitting down with the weight of top ; but the seeding-down 

 will be only a temporar}^ expedient. The danger of too rapid 

 growth is particularly great in peaches and grapes ; it is very 

 small with apple trees. 



Everyone knows that sod is not good for strawberries, grapes, 

 potatoes, corn, wheat or raspberries ; the presumption is, there- 

 fore, that it is not good for apples or quinces. But apples, quinces 

 and pears are tough, and it is surprising what little harm sod 

 can do them when the land is good ! 



Fertilizijig . — I am convinced that it will not yet pay to add 

 commercial fertilizers to the general run of fruit plantations in 

 New York. The tillage and other treatment are not good enough 

 to warrant the extra expense. That is, the product is not of 

 sufficient value to pay for any extra investment ; and the land 

 and trees are in such poor condition that the mere addition of 



