GENERAL MANAGEMENT 



69 



the trees suffer for water oftener than for plant food. 

 Proper cultivation does not merely allow the soil 

 to catch and hold more water in the first place, but 

 it helps to conserve the water when it is once taken 

 up by the soil. This is particularly the office of 

 surface cultivation. 



ORCHARD DISK HARROW 



As a general statement we may say, therefore, 

 that the first tillage of the year should be a good 

 plowing; that is, as deep as can be practiced in 

 fruit orchards. The intention of this is to loosen 

 the soil to a considerable depth, to provide the wa- 

 ter-holding capacity required and to loosen up plant 

 food to the action of water and air. The subsequent 

 cultivations will be of a different character. They 



