40:^ 



State Horticittturat Society. 



Eliminating all of the orchards that were in any sense neglected, 

 and taking those where the only difference in management was tillage, 

 we have the following results : 



*WAYNE COUNTY, N. Y., YIELD OF APPLES FROM TILLED AND DNTILLED OR- 

 CHARDS AVERAGE OF THE COUNTY FOR TREES SET BEFORE 1880. 

 ALL ORCHARDS WELL CARED FOR, 



Treatment. 



Number. 



Acres. 



Average 

 yield. 



Four-year 



average 

 yield. 



1900. 

 Tilled five years or more, 



Tilled most years 



Sod most years 



Sod five years or more .. . 



1903. 

 Tilled five years or more 



Tilled most years 



Sod most years 



Sod fi ve years or more 



271 

 245 



206 

 200 



"The real difference, therefore, due to sod or du*e to the lack of till- 

 age, is between 80 per cent, shown in the table including all of the or- 

 chards, and 35 per cent, shown in the table relating only to the orchards 

 well cared for." 



It does not follow that under any and all circumstances an orchard 

 should be tilled. In many cases the land is too rough or stony, and in 

 other cases, if the orchards are giving good yields and the trees are 

 making sufficient growth to keep up their vitality, it is possible that it 

 will be safe to allow them to remain in sod. By the liberal use of 

 barnyard manure, it is possible to keep an orchard in good condition 

 without tillage. 



It should be remembered, however, that the results of good and bad 

 treatment are not always apparent the first year. The great difficulty 

 in determining what kind of treatment pays best in any particular or- 

 chard is the fact that it may be several years before the results are ap- 

 parent in the difference in crops. Very frequently a grower has fol- 

 lowed a few years of good care by a period of neglect, and has received 

 an increased yield as a result. The trees may be making almost no 

 new wood, and may be easy victims to insects, drouth and disease. Yet 



♦Cornell University Bulletin. 226. 



