124 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



practical elimination of the off year during a period of five 

 years. The chief diff'erence in treatment between these trees 

 and those receiving tillage, cover crops and fertilization, seems 

 to consist in the fact that the roots are regularly and materially 

 disturbed in the latter case and not in the former. This sug- 

 gests the general advisability of shallower tillage over tree roots, 

 with the possible displacement of the plow entirely wherever 

 soil conditions will permit. 



( i6) In these experiments, fertilization has often proved 

 more efficient on untilled trees than on those receiving tillage. 

 There are some notable exceptions to this, however, especially 

 in Experiments 217 and 219. The benefits from fertilization, 

 therefore, are evidently not confined to untilled trees and in 

 some cases the applications are evidently utilized better when 

 accompanied by some cultivation. The exact conditions asso- 

 ciated with these different responses have not yet been deter- 

 mined. 



( 17) In the majority of cases, in these experiments the 

 addition of fertilization has largely neutralized the differences 

 shown by the various cultural methods when used alone. In 

 some cases also it has even reversed the cultural differences. 

 These and other results indicate that proper fertilization is 

 often more important than the cultural method. No important 

 change in local practice should be made, however, until one has 

 clear evidence of the value of the change for the particular 

 conditions involved. 



Question. What did you use for the intercrop? 



Prof. Stewart: Corn, potatoes, mangel wurzels, peas and 

 beans. 



Ques. Then you put a cover crop in afterwards? 



Prof. Stewart : Yes, the difference is, this cover crop is 

 seeded quite late, usually along in September, so that its moist- 

 ure draft is less, and it has been usually a mixture of crimson 

 and red clover ; that is, a leguminous cover crop. 



Ques. Did you use any phosphate with the intercrop? 



Prof. Stewart: We fertilized for the intercrop to a certain 

 extent, just a moderate fertilizer for the crop. 



Ques. What kind of soil is that which the experiment is on? 



Prof. Stewart : It is a rather heavy limestone clay loam. It 

 is one of those limestone soils in which you would have to go a 



