114 F each-Growing 



by chance they receive better attention than they would 

 otherwise have. But since the tree roots do not at first 

 occupy all the ground, it becomes possible to grow certain 

 types of crops between the trees without detriment to them. 

 The tillage given the filler-crop counts as tillage for the 

 trees, hence the proceeds of that crop may pay, in part at 

 least, for the maintenance of the orchard during its non- 

 productive years. The use of a filler-crop is distinctly a 

 business enterprise. However, by the third season pos- 

 sibly and rarely later than the fourth, if conditions are fa- 

 vorable, a peach orchard should produce a crop of fruit. 

 After bearing begins, no filler-crop should be grown. Be- 

 sides it has been pointed out (see Plate IX) that the roots 

 occupy all the ground at a comparatively early age. After 

 this time the trees should not be made to compete with 

 another crop unless, as in case of a cover- or green- 

 manure crop, it more than compensates for the competition 

 in what is contributed to the welfare of the trees and 

 the fruit. 



Too often, however, in the use of filler-crops the greed 

 of the grower results in his ignoring the fact that he is double 

 cropping his land, and that the most important crop in reality 

 is the trees, even though they apparently occupy but a small 

 part of the area. Because of this, the grower expects prac- 

 tically as large returns from the secondary-crop as though 

 there were no trees on the land. This is especially likely to 

 be the case the first year or two when the trees are small. 

 For example, if corn is the filler-crop, it is common for the 

 grower to plant just as many rows of it, excepting the tree 

 row, as he would were there no trees to be considered. He 

 should, rather, leave a sufficiently wide space along the tree 

 rows so that as the corn reaches its full height it will not in 



