CULTIVATING AND CROPPING 



Other mulch decaying In the soil increases its 

 humous content and hence its water holding ca- 

 pacity. By forming a mulch over the soil evap- 

 oration may be checked to some extent, al- 

 though probably not as effectively in a practical 

 way, as by cultivation. If there is a good grass 

 sod in the orchard, moisture and plant food 

 made available by that moisture are utilized, 

 and if the grass is allowed to go back into the 

 soil It continues to furnish these elements to the 

 tree. But there Is a rapid evaporation of mois- 

 ture from the surface of the leaves of grass. 

 In fact, grass may well serve to remove an 

 excess of moisture In wet seasons, or from wet 

 lands. 



Laying aside theoretical considerations, let 

 us see what practical experience teaches on this 

 subject. We have the accurate data on a large 

 number of western New York orchards show- 

 ing the results of cultivation and other methods 

 of soil management. These data are overwhelm- 

 ingly In the favor of cultivation. In Wayne 

 County the average yield of orchards tilled for 

 five years or more was 271 bushels per acre, 

 as compared with 200 bushels per acre for 

 those In sod five years or more but otherwise 

 well cared for, — an Increase of thirty-five per 



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