lo Sept.. 1909.] Orchard Notes. 587 



ORCHARD XOTES. 



/. Cronin, Principal, School of Horticulture, Burnley. 



Moisture — that is, water in a form that the roots of trees and plants 

 can assimilate it — is the most important factor in the cultivation of fruit. 

 This especially applies during the season of active growth, and the most 

 important problem fruit-growers have to solve is to provide a sufificienc\ 

 from the time the buds burst into growth in spring until the period 

 that the growth should cease — about the end of summer or in autumn. 

 In the hot and dry districts the remedy lies in irrigation, without which 

 fruit-growing would be impossible. In the southern districts generally, 

 the rainfall is sufficient, if the water is properly conserved. It is practi- 

 cally impossible to cultivate badly-drained soil, whether of a loose or 

 retentive nature, in such a manner so that the moisture necessary for the 

 general well-being of the trees will be saved. The principle of sub-soil 

 drainage — paradoxical as it may appear — is the most important point in the 

 question of moisture retention. 



Cultivation must commence early in spring to save the water. To 

 cultivate wet, sodden soil would certainly mean the destruction of the 

 texture of such soil as applied to its value as a medium for supplying 

 plants with nutriment. A soil that is comparatively poor, but in good 

 physical condition — that is, well drained, fairly porous, yet capable of 

 holding a fair supply of moisture — will produce fine, healthy, long-lived 

 trees, that will bear crops of excellent fruit regularly, provided a rational 

 systematic method of cultivation is practised. On the other hand, a soil 

 rich in all the mineral matters that plants need for perfect growth, flowers, 

 and fruit would, if water-logged, be positively useless. An exam}>le mav 

 be seen in the case of pot-grown plants. The plant in the properl\ -drained 

 pot is vigorous and healthy, that in an ill-drained one poor and feeble, 

 although the original specimens were identical in species, health, and 

 strength when potted, and the soil was also identical in character and 

 value. 



Orchard land needs ploughing in spring while the soil is moist. When 

 the surface of the ploughed soil dries it should be harrowed, rolled, or 

 otherwise worked, as conditions dictate, to bring it to the condition of a 

 level, well-pulverized seed bed. By no other means can the soil moisture 

 due to the winter rains be sa\"ed for the summer needs of the trees. The 

 earth mulch maintained bv regular light cultivation in summer is correct ; 

 the reverse is seen where the soil has been ploughed when wet, a neces- 

 sary condition of undrained land, or where no ploughing has been done. 

 In light sandv or loamy soils, or in those of a gravelly or rubbly nature, 

 trees grow into large specimen's and bear fruit, even when entirely 

 neglected ; but there is no comparison between the results obtained in like 

 .soils that are properly managed. In undrained, heavy, stiff, clay soils, 

 fruit trees fail, owing to lack of air in the soil, saturation with water in 

 winter and spring, and an almost total absence of moisture for the rest of 

 the year. 



It should always be remembered that extra deep ploughing that will 

 cause the destruction of roots is highly improper. It has been claimed 

 that ploughing that will always tliroiu the soil toivards the trees should 

 be regularlv practised. The effect claimed is a deepening of the soil 

 and consequent increase of feeding area for the roots. Very little reflection 

 is needed to show that such incessant deepening of the soil between the 

 trees means also incessant destruction of the roots, and it requires no 



