STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Ill 



2 1 8, which is rather unexpected because this soil is almost the 

 same as that in our Experiments 331 and 333 above, in which 

 the mulch has proved very satisfactory. 



Incidentally it may be noted that thus far the tillage and 

 cover-crop treatment has surpassed the mulch in but a single 

 average and that is the rather surprising one of color when used 

 in connection with manure. In a few other individual cases, 

 especially in Experiment 218, the cover crops have also ex- 

 celled slightly in certain other characters. In general, however, 

 with the exception of Experiment 218, the mulch treatment has 

 proved very satisfactory for orchards of the early bearing age, 

 when the cost of materials is not too high. 



THE VALUE OF COVER CROPS. 



Just as in the very young orchards considered above, cover 

 crops here again have largely failed to come up to expectations. 

 In yield, as compared with tillage alone, they have shown a 

 couple of 25-bushel increases, — both in Experiment 217. In 

 practically all other cases, however, their gains either have been 

 very small or totally lacking, with the results favoring the other 

 treatments. 



These results again may be connected with local conditions, 

 to some extent, and also with the unsteadiness and youth of 

 the trees, though the exact importance of these influences is 

 not at all certain. In two of the older orchards, particularly in 

 Experiments 221 and 338, the benefits from tillage and cover 

 crops together have seemed to be quite important, — amounting 

 to about 122 bushels per acre annually as compared with sod 

 in the latter case. Just how much of this is due to the cover 

 crop, however, can not be determined from the particular com- 

 binations that are under comparison in those experiments. 



On the other hand, the present series do contain comparisons 

 bearing directly on the value of cover crops; they give the aver- 

 age annual returns for 5 years from three experiments on three 

 markedly different soil types, and their results are certainly 

 not without significance. These results indicate that many or- 

 chards, and especially those in the early stages of bearing, are 

 not likely to be materially benefited by the addition of cover 

 crops. Where the humus is very deficient, however, and per- 



