50 Vermont Agricultural Report. 



SOME RESULTS OF CULTIVATION AND PRUNING ON 



A YOUNG ORCHARD. 



BY A. M. VAUGHAN, RANDOLPH, VT. 



HoAv many farmers would think of planting a field of 

 potatoes, corn, or any other hoed crop and expect to harvest a 

 paying crop, if they left it without cultivating or hoeing? Not 

 one ! They know beforehand just what the result would be. Yet 

 in nine cases out of ten this is just what is being done with the 

 fruit trees that are being planted in the State. Just why this is 

 so would he hard to tell. Probably because it is the custom and 

 it is so hard to get out of the ruts that we stay in them. 



Practice has proven that a crop of trees is not unlike any 

 other crop as regards its ability to respond to cultivation. A tree 

 planted in sod land and left to shift for itself will, if properly 

 planted, live and make some growth. But once having seen trees 

 that are kept cultivated, the neglected tree becomes unsatis- 

 factory. 



In this climate, apple and pear trees should make a growth 

 of one and a half to two feet and plum trees three feet at least. 

 Fertilizers may be used to help out but cultivation is the main 

 thing. It does for a tree just what it does for a stalk of corn, 

 keeps the weeds down, liberates the natural fertility of the 

 soil, and saves moisture. The latter is the most important as 

 moisture is the medium through which all plants get their food. 

 If moisture is present the plant food is dissolved and is ready 

 to be taken up by the first thirsty plant. Then keep the weeds 

 out of the way and the tree gets the full benefit, and almost in- 

 variably makes a good growth. 



Cultivation is more important to pear trees than any other 

 kind of fruit as they make all their growth before July ist. 

 So if they do not have a good chance during their growing 

 period a poor growth is the result. Any attempt to prolong 

 their natural period of growth results in unripe wood, almost 

 sure to winter-kill, and subject to every disease tree is heir to. 

 Other kinds can be kept growing until about August. Trees 

 will nearly always stop growing at this time of year if not 



