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TILLAGK OF ORCHARDS. '2^il 



The orchard should be plowed early in the spring;: This will admit 

 air, warm the soil up quioker, and drain off the excess of moisture 

 through evaporation. The plowed layer prevents evaporation from lower 

 depths and increases the moisture holding capacity of the soil in work- 

 ing it. The plowing should be fairly deep so that the surface roots are 

 cut and encouraged to ])onetratP deeper. When trees are allowed to form 

 surface roots they are not well protected from freezes and the moisture 

 supply is not as regular as at deeper depths. Shallow i-ooted trees often 

 suffer to quite an extent during dry seasons. This is where the straw 

 mulch is also faulty, as there is usually a great amount of moisture near 

 the surface of the soil, and the roots spread out here and often the trpps 

 suffer for lack of moisture during dry seasons. 



Crops are often planted in the young orchards between the rows. 

 Small grains should never be planted, unless they are to be plowed under 

 before they mature. Only crops which necessitate cultivation should 

 t>e used, as they require just the conditions for the best growth of young 

 trees. The same crops should- never be grown more than two years in 

 succession. The cultivation should cease the latter part of .July, ordi- 

 narily, so that the vood may ripen and be prepared to meet winter con 

 ditions. 



Horticultural investigators quite generally agree that clean tillage 

 throughout the whole season is not the best orchard practice. It has a 

 tendency to deplete the humus contents of soils, which causes them to 

 pack and often bake, is responsible for considerable soil erosion in hilly 

 sections, and frequently keeps tlje trees in a growing condition so late 

 that the wood does not ripen for winter. In order to remedy these con- 

 ditions a cover crop may be sown about the first of August. Thus the 

 term "tillage," as applied to orchards, has come to mean thorough cul- 

 tivation during the early part of the season followed by a cover crop, 

 which is plowed under the following spring. 



A cover crop is a crop grown during the late summer and fall for the 

 beneflt of the orchard. It is not to be removed but is left on the ground 

 until spring. There is a number of crops which may be grown but 

 some are tender and are injured or killed by early frosts, such as cane 

 or millet. These are usually considered the best as they cease growth 

 with the first frost and allow the soil to become rather moist again for 

 winter conditions. 



In cultivating the orchard dtiring the summer, an orchard disc 

 should be used. This is a small disc that may be set to throw the dirt 

 in or out. By using this and throwing the dirt toward the trees at one 

 cultivation and drawing it away the next, the ground can be kept quite 

 level. Other implements necessary for cultivation are a plow and a 

 harrow. 



The orchard requires fertilizer the same as field crops do. Barnyard 

 manure may be applied at any time. The orchardist should watch his 

 trees and if they do not look thrifty and make a good growth each 

 year they undoubtedly need manure or more cultivation. 



