488 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



give more than a s\uopsis of the results, as follows: Lime and sul- 

 phur wash (sometimes with salt), 31 reports; soluble oils (two com 

 mercial preparations being mentioned), 23 reports; kerosene eniul 

 sion, 3; crude petroleum, 2; whale oil soap and Tap-a-nap Soap, 1. 

 Nearly all correspondents who have had experience with commercial 

 spraj preparations report success and satisfaction with their use. 



Fertilizers. 



''Are commercial fertilizers used largely by your fruit growers?" 

 "Yes," from twenty-six correspondents, and "No" from forty-three. 

 The affirmative answers coming mostly from the fruit-growing coun- 

 ties and the negative answers, with a few exceptions, from sections 

 where fruit growing is incidental. 



Nearly all correspondents agree that stable manure can be used 

 profitably on orchard soil. A considerable number, however, qualify 

 this statement by saying "but not for peaches," which we believe is a 

 pretty general experience. A few object to stable manure as not 

 being sufficiently uniform or properly balanced. 



Twenty-three reports favor the use of lime in the orchard, while 

 seven discourage its use. It is favored because it sweetens the soil 

 (renders it alkaline), loosens the soil when "tight" or heavy and 

 serves as a solvent for fertilizer elements already present in the 

 soil. 



Tillage. 



The queries on this subject brought so many and such widely 

 varying answers that the Chairman of this Committee finds it almost 

 impossible to fix on one or even on two or three methods that are at 

 all generally practiced. 



Most persons agree that peaches should have clean culture. Aside 

 from this, the practice of orchard cultivation seems to be limited 

 almost entirely to commercial plantations, except such cultivation as 

 trees may receive from the working of hoed crops planted in the 

 orchard. Regular crop rotation with two or three successive 

 years of grain and sod seems to be a common practice in most 

 sections. 



"Hog culture — no rings" is recommended and for a bearing orchard 

 of limited area, doubtless works very well. The Chairman finds that 

 his own experience follows closely that of several correspondents, 

 and takes the liberty of making the following recommendations for 

 tillage of apple orchards: From time of planting up to time when 

 trees occupy most of the ground, cultivate thoroughly each season, 

 intercropping if desired with some cultivated cro]> or if a grain or 

 grass crop is used, leaving a generous strip on each side of tree to be 

 cultivated. When potatoes can be grown they afford an excellent 

 crop for orchard planting. When trees have come to bearing age 

 vso that summer spraying is needed, it will probably seem best to 

 discontinue the intercropping. Begin cultivation early in the 

 spring, plowing shallow or cutting up with disc and following with 

 spring-tooth harrow. Continue until mid summer, then sow a cover 

 or allow a volunteer growth of grass and weeds to grow, mowing 



