61G Agricultural Experiment Station, Ithaca, N. Y. 



D. Some of the leading agencies or errors which lie at the bottom 

 of the unproductiveness of orchards are as follows : 



a. The plantation lacks plan and forethought. 



}). The land is often unsuited to the purpose, particularly 

 in respect to its aspect, drainage, and general physical make-up. 



c. Neglect of tillage or cultivation is probably the most 

 universal fault. 



This tillage should begin early in the season ; 



It should be stopped in late summer or early fall ; 



It should begin when the orchard is planted and should be 

 applied to the entire surface ; and 



It should be performed in such manner as to keep the land 

 in fine and uniform tilth. 



d. Lack of plant food is probably a common cause for failure. 



e. Good treatment may be begun too late, after the habit 

 of the trees has become too thoroughly established to be 

 readily broken. 



f. It is a common effort to raise annual crops in bearing 

 orchards, and to allow the trees only the skim milk. 



g. Pruning is often neglected. 



h. Insects and fungi may hold a mortgage on the crop. 



i. Poor or ill-sorted varieties render many orchards un- 

 profitable. 



j. Trees may be expected to be unproductive if they are 

 propagated from unproductive trees. 



11. Weeds.— 



Weeds are feared by those farmers who have made some 

 mistake in the management of their fields, by virtue of which 

 the weeds have found a chance to prosper. 



Weeds, therefore, may be said to have a mission — first to 

 'educate the farmer, and second, to ameliorate the soil. 



Good and judicious tillage and croping are the only effective 

 means of keeping down weeds. A foul place can be cleaned by 

 inaugurating, for a time, a short and vigorous rotation of crops. 



The Kussian thistle, which is now so much dreaded, may 

 be depended upon to still further improve the practice of 

 farming. If it spreads seriously, it will be because our 

 scheme of farming allows it to spread by not keeping the land 

 in full use ; it must therefore be checked by more intensive and 

 careful farming, and this will be a distinct reform. 



L. H. BAILEY. . 



