64 



IRRIGATION. 



Proper irrigation of the orchard depends entirely upon the condi- 

 tions. Tliere are several methods of employing water in irrigation — 

 by flooding, by a system of checks, or by furrows. The latter is 

 probably the most efficient, but care should be taken that both sides of 

 the tree receive an equal suppl}^ of water. 



SOIL OR COVER CROPS. 



The soil of difl'erent localities varies, and the treatment should vary 

 with the conditions. In irrigated sections the soil is usually lacking 

 in humus, and is often packed so closely together that it is impervious 

 to water. By proper tillage this is corrected to some extent, but the 

 greatest success has been attained by grow:ing cover crops. Red clover 

 is successfully used for this purpose, and is advantageous in many 

 ways. The roots penetrate deeply into the soil, thus forming passages 

 for water; by keeping a cover of clover over the soil, evaporation from 

 the soil is retarded, and the irrigation need not be so frequent, as the 

 water is retained for a longer time; the clover can be cut and used for 

 ha}^; and about every third year the practice of plowing the clover is 

 followed, so that, in addition to the fixing of nitrogen by the roots of 

 the clover, the decaying vegetation adds needed humus to the soil. 



ORCHARD IN BEARING. 



A very serious error is made by many fruit growers in regard to 

 the first crop of fruit. Reasoning that the first crop is not worth 

 trying to save from the codling moth, the grower allows the insect to 

 infest most of it, intending the following year to api:»ly preventive 

 and remedial measures and put it under control. The result usually 

 is that the following year he has an abundance of insects, and his loss 

 will be considerable. If, when the larvty were all in this first crop, the 

 apples had been destroyed by being picked and l)uried, or if bands 

 had been used late in the summer, a large percentage of the loss in 

 the second year could have been prevented. 



It is often the case that on account of some unforeseen condition, 

 such as a freeze or a frost, the fruit crop is reduced to almost nothing. 

 Under such conditions each grower must decide for himself what 

 methods he will pursue. Usually in such years the price of fruit is 

 very high, tempting the grower to produce all the fruit he can, even 

 if infested. The writer recommends that when the crop is so small 

 that each tree will produce only about one box or less of good fruit, 

 the fruit should T)e picked and destroyed, not earlier than the middle 

 of July nor later than the middle of August, and other methods such 

 as banding should be used to destroy as many of the remaining insects 

 as possible. Various instances have been under the observation of the 

 writer in which these suggestions were followed with great success. 



