15 



sj^slem of non-cullivation during the latter part of tlie 

 growing season. 



The orchard should be cultivated from spring up to 

 as late as October 1st. Where it is necessary to plant 

 legumes between the trees in order to get nitrogen as 

 well as humus into the soil, they should be planted as 

 late as possible in the season, say in the middle of July, 

 and space left on either side of the tree rows sufficient 

 for cultivation. 



In cultivating an orchard properly it is very impor- 

 tant that suitable implements be used. The plow^ shouki 

 not be used in an orchard except in the fall 

 w^hen it is desirable to turn under cowpeas, velvet 

 beans or grass grown for the purpose of increasing the 

 humus in the soil. When tlie plow is used care should 

 be taken not to plow too deep in an old orchard; in 

 fact, after the trees are three years old the plow should 

 not go deeper than three or four inches. 



Small feeding roots extend from five to ten feet from 

 the tree and if plowing is more than four inches deep 

 the feeding roots are cut off and tlie normal develop- 

 ment of the tree is seriously interfered with. This is of- 

 ten the cause of the fruit dropping in the spring as the 

 feeding roots have been cut off and the tree has not suf- 

 ficient strength to produce fruit and new^ growth at the 

 same time. 



A disc-harrow is a very desirable implement to use 

 in an orchard. This implement should be used alter- 

 nated with a spring tooth harrow. For example, if 

 an orchard is cultivated one week with the disc-har- 

 row, a spring-tooth harrow^ should be used the follow- 

 ing w^eek going in the opposite direction. By this meth- 

 od it is possible to keep the weeds under control and 

 likewise keep the orchard in a good state of cultivation. 

 The disc-harrow should be the so-called extension har- 

 row so that one side can l)e extended to go under the 

 limbs of tlie tree and as near the trunk as possil)le in 

 order to eliminate hoeing. Another good implement 

 is the so-called California orchard plow or extension 

 disc-harrow, the discs being twelve inches in diameter, 

 making it possible to cultivate under the low-growing 

 branches of the Satsuma orange trees. 



The system of hoeing as employed in many orchards, 

 both large and small, from two to three times in a sea- 

 son for the purpose of keeping tlie weeds away from 

 the trees, is entirely inadequate and should not be 

 depended upon. We recommend complete, clean cul- 



