216 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OS. Do; 



STAIiTi:N'G AN (JliCHAKD 



By PROF. W. J. GREEN, Wooster. Ohio. 



There are various operations involved in starting an orchard. 

 One may know how to do all things needful and yet fail to grasp 

 the full purpose and meaning of the work as a whole. A thorough 

 knowledge of methods is needful, but in order to modify methods 

 so as to adapt them to varying conditions there must be a clear 

 conception of the reas(m why. Theory and practice are of equal 

 importance, and one must supplement the other. 



It is a truism to say, that the orchardist needs, first of all, to get 

 a clear conception of Avhat his purpose is in growing an orchard; 

 but we may properly ask, "Why does a man plant an orchard and 

 then devote the ground to grass or corn, or potatoes, or any other 

 farm or garden crop?" One may answer that he wishes to utilize 

 the land to the fullest extent. The trees need but a portion of the 

 plant food, and all that can bo taken from the soil beyond the small 

 amount required by the trees is clear gain. Another may go still 

 further and claim that the cultivation of the crop is just what 

 the trees need. Both of these propositions may be true in certain 

 cases, but altogether false under other conditions, hence the neces- 

 sity of a well grounded theory to begin with. 



There are various purposes to which a family orchard may be 

 devoted, along with that of fruit production. The stock breeder 

 needs a calf pasture, and if the orchard is conveniently located for 

 that purpose he may nmke it do double duty. This custom is so 

 common and so well established in most sections that it is re- 

 garded as a thrifty practice. There are various side issues for 

 which an orchard may ]»e used, but to describe them would be 

 foreign to my purpose. 



We need not quarrel with those who desire to start a dual pur- 

 pose orchard; but let me hasten to say that a commercial orchard 

 is for one i)urpose only, and that is for the production of fruit. 

 Unless the crop of corn, potatoes, vegetables, small fruits, grass, 

 or whatever is grown between the trees tends toward the accomp- 

 lishment of the main purpose that crop has no business in the 

 orchard. The orchard, how to grow it, so that it will give maxi- 

 mum crops of fruit, is the motto, not how to produce bumper crops 

 of vegetables or grains between the treas when young. 



It is an unworthy ambition of the orchardist to seek to make 

 the orchard pay its wax before it comes into bearing unless he 

 knows how to accomplish the feat without mortgaging the orchard's 

 future. There is such a thing as ])rofitnb1e intercropping. The 

 vegetable grower often ]>ractices it, but he knows that it means 

 loss unless tillage is perfect and the supply of food and moisture 

 are sufficient. Tt is easy, moreover, for him to see when he has 

 gone beyond the danger point and to reform his practice if need 



