492 Reading-Course for Farmers. 



Results of Tillage. 



Our orchards receive too little cultivation. The growers are making 

 a serious mistake in not tilling their orchards more systematically. 

 This fact has been brought prominently to our attention by the results 

 of the orchard surveys which have just been completed in Wayne and 

 Orleans counties. These surveys show unquestionably that cultivation 

 is better than sod. The table below gives the five-year average yield 

 and income per acre of all apple orchards in Orleans county under 

 different methods of tillage. 



Tilled 10 years or more 



Tilled 5 years or more 



Tilled over half of preceding 5 years 



Sod over half of preceding 5 years 



Sod 5 years or more . 



Sod 10 years or more 



This table shows too great a difference in favor of cultivation. Other 

 factors possibly may have influenced the yield and income. Undoubtedly 

 the cultivated orchards received better spraying, pruning and fertilizing 

 than the uncultivated. In order to eliminate these factors and com- 

 pare tillage alone, another table is given. This compares only the 

 orchards that are well cared for, but which differ in the matter of 

 tillage alone. 



Tilled 10 years or more 



Tilled 5 years or more 



Tilled over half of preceding 5 years 



Sod over half of preceding 5 years 



Sod 5 years or more 



Sod 10 years or more 



These figures show without a doubt the value and necessity of tillage. 

 It should be remembered, however, that an orchard can be tilled too 

 much. It needs a change, so to speak, now and then. Therefore, 



