MULCHING AND IRRIGATION OF THE ORCHARD. 229 



attain profitable results except he cultivates this orchard very 

 carefull3^ I notice they run their cultivators through the orchards 

 between the trees under any and all circumstances. They begin 

 cultivating early in the spring, and they cultivate as often as once 

 in four weeks, for grass is never permitted to grow among those 

 trees, not a weed is allowed to show its head — and that cultivation is 

 continued throughout the season. I have asked them, "Why don't 

 you let your orchards grow up to grass?" "Why," they said, "we 

 would not getas fine fruit or as profitable fruit." I saw men picking 

 apples from the trees. "Why do j'ou do that?" I asked. "Because 

 we want fruit that will sell," was the reply. It looked to me as if 

 they were taking all the fruit off the trees. I also noticed that they 

 trimmed their trees, almost cut them to pieces, so it seemed to a 

 person who was not experienced. I gathered from this that it gave 

 the best results in orcharding. I do not know whether it would 

 appl3^ to this climate, but the land should always be kept cultivated 

 between the trees, and grass and weeds should never be allowed to 

 grow in the orchard. An apple tree should be made to branch 

 within eighteen inches of the ground; this is for the purpose of pro- 

 tecting the trunk, so the top of the tree will not act as a lever to 

 throw the tree over into the wind, and so they can gather the 

 apples cheaply and expeditiously. I notice they cut the trees back 

 severely at all ages. 



Now, in regard to taking the trees through the winter. A man said 

 to me in regard to irrigation: "You want to put the water on ji-our 

 trees the last of October. I want to wet their roots good before I 

 put them to bed." That was his expression. In regard to tnulching; 

 I have often been impressed with the fact that many people lock 

 the stable door after the horse has been stolen, and they mulch 

 after the benefit of doing so is lost; in other words, the}^ mulch the 

 ground after the moisture is dried out. To get the full benefit and 

 the best results from mulching, the water must be in the land. 

 When the water is in the ground, then mulch your land, and the 

 moisture will be retained. If some process of irrigating fruit trees 

 could be devised for our cliinate before the trees go into winter 

 quarters, I think j'ou might afford to laugh at the temperature at 

 whatever degree. That is a theory with me; I think it is reasonably 

 true. If in Minnesota trees could be thoroughly wetted before the 

 ground freezes, it would be a good thing. In irrigating trees the 

 important thing to do is not to permit the water to stand around the 

 trees. In carrying the water to the roots, the furrows should not 

 touch the tree trunks; they should not be less than four or five feet 

 from the trunks of the trees. If your orchard is in grass, then you 

 can risk the furrows closer. With plenty of moisture in the ground, 

 I would say that mulching would be an excellent thing to hold that 

 moisture in the roots during the winter. I have gained the idea 

 that hard freezing of the roots of trees is a prolific source of their 

 death, and when there is little or no moisture in the ground there is 

 the greatest danger, and mulching prevents this severe freezing, 

 particularly when there is no snow on the ground; and I find that 

 trees go through the winter better when they are mulched. I do 

 not claim to have had practical experience in this matter, and I am 

 only giving you the results of a somewhat limited observation. I 

 am much obliged to j^ou for your attention. (Applause). 



