The Canadian Horticulturi^ 



Vol. XXXIII 



JUNE. 1910 



No. 6 



The Control of Moisture in Orchard Soils 



F. T. Shutt, M.A., Chemist, Dominion Experimental Farms 



I 



I 



I SHALL briefly state some of the more 

 important conclusions from research- 

 es that have been made at Ottawa. 

 For the figures and details, consult the 

 publications of the Dominion Experi- 

 mental Farms. 



1. The growth of rye, oats and buck- 

 wheat as cover crops in the orchard has 

 always resulted in the removal of larger 

 amount of soil moisture than those lost 

 by the growth of one of the legumes — 

 clover, hairy vetch, soya beans, etc. The 

 draft made by the cereals upon the stores 

 of soil moisture is greatest between May 

 I St and July 15th — a period when it is 

 most required for the use of the orchard 

 trees. We have found that the equival- 

 ent of approximately ten inches of lain 

 may be lost in this period from soil car- 

 rying a grain crop, over and above that 

 lost from a cultivated soil. 



It seems more than probable that the 

 smaller amount of water lost from the soil 

 carrying the cover crop — clover, velcn, 

 etc., — as compared with that carrying a 

 grain crop may be in part accounted for 

 by the more perfect shade from the sun 

 and protection from wind afforded by the 

 former crops. 



2. More moisture may be conserved by 

 sowing the cover crops — hairy vetch, 

 soya beans, horse beans — in drills and cul- 

 tivation between the rows from time to 

 time throughout the summer, than by 

 sowing these crops broadcast. In other 

 words, the earth mulch is more effective 

 than the shade offered by the crop in con- 

 serving moisture. This method of grow- 

 ing cover crops seems to offer a means of 

 furnishing material for enrichment of the 

 soil without making any excessive de- 

 mand on the soil moisture supply — and 

 hence may prove valuable for adoption in 

 districts that are subject to drought in 

 the late summer. It is quite possible for 

 a soil to become so dry in the autumn 

 months that the fruit ripens prematurely. 

 On such soils, of course, the ordinary 

 cover crop, sown . in July, may do 

 more harm than good. 



3. There appears to be little difference 

 between the moisture content of soils con- 

 stantly cultivated throughout the summer 



•Important conclusions from researches made by 

 Mr. Shutt and told by him in an address before 

 the American Pomological Society of St. Cathar- 

 ines, Ont., last fall. Eeaders that desire more 

 complete details may obtain same by referring to 

 the publications of the Dominion Experimental 

 Farms, or by writing direct to Mr. Shutt, Ottawa. 



and that of soil under a thick mulch of 

 straw. Ten to twelve inches of straw 

 seems to be very effective in conserving 

 moisture, but the objections that may be 

 urged to such a method are cost of mater- 

 ial, application and removal — for the latter 

 would be necessary if there were danger 

 of the trees continuing their growth into 

 the late autumn — and the probability that 

 the straw mulch would cause a surfacede- 

 velopment of the root system, resulting 

 in injury to the trees from winter killing. 



4. Undisturbed fallow land readily 

 dries out, and further, may be taken pos- 

 session of by weeds which serve to in- 

 crease the loss of moisture. We have in- 

 stances in which such land has been found 



Leads Them All 



The Canadian Horticulturist 

 gives me more pleasure for the 

 outlay than any other paper or 

 magazine of the $40.00 worth 

 that I get each year. My garden 

 last season was more productive 

 than ever, and all through the 

 pointers gleaned from The Cana- 

 dian Horticulturist. — J. E. 

 Klotz, M. D., Lanark, Ont. 



to dry out to the same extent as land in 

 sod. 



The desirability of immediate cultiva- 

 tion after plowing an orchard has been 

 shown, if soil moisture is to be conserved. 

 A period of three or four days with the 

 upturned soil as left by the plow may very 

 seriously diminish the soil's store of 

 water. 



6. Rape has proven an excellent cover 

 crop for drying out the soil in the late 

 summer and autumn months. In this re- 

 pect it is fully the equal of the legumes 

 usually sown for this purpose. 



In conclusion, we may emphasize the 

 essential points we have endeavored to 

 bring out : First, very great value of cul- 

 tivation for conserving soil moisture and 

 the desirability of employing in many 

 districts this means during the first three 

 months of the growing season, to supply 

 our orchards with the water necessary 

 for the full development of their fruit. 

 .Secondly, we have proved the extremely 

 exhaustive effect on soil moisture of sod 

 and of grain crops. Their injurious iu- 



136 



fluence on the growth of the tree — es- 

 pecially the young tree — and the develop- 

 ment of fruit, so often to be observed on 

 dry soils, is fully accounted for by the re- 

 sults of our investigation. And, lastly, 

 that legumes and rape are suitable crops 

 in most districts to sow in mid-summer 

 when the drying out of the soil is con- 

 sidered desirable to hasten the ripening 

 of the wood before winter sets in. 



Box Package for Export Apples 



J. A. Webster, Sparta, Ont. 



Packing in boxes has appealed to me 

 as the best way to market Lake Erie ap- 

 ples ; therefore, I have only used boxes 

 for the past three years and am satisfied 

 that boxes in this district will pay better 

 than barrels. 



Success with boxes depends upon good 

 fruit, well graded and packed. The 

 whole secret lies in painstaking care in 

 growing, handling, grading, packing 

 and then marketing, so that the fruit 

 shall reach the consumer without a bruise. 



To dispose of undergrade fruit, I have 

 put up a small evaporating and canning 

 plant at my orchard. This I consider the 

 best outlet for fruit not good enough to 

 box and it enables me to put up a fancy 

 pack of manufactured, as well as greeri, 

 fruit with my carefully handled crop, and 

 besides dried and canned fruit will bring 

 better returns than the usual No. 2 bar- 

 rel. 



I would advise papering every apple 

 tiered in the box for export. What is not 

 worth papering is not worth exporting. 

 The cost of the box and paper used is 

 slightly more than one-third of the cost 

 of a barrel and the returns are better. 

 However, the labor in connection with 

 boxing is much more than in barrelling. 



I have shipped apples to the British 

 market and have personally seen them 

 sold and wotild advise others to put a 

 new brand of boxed apples on the market 

 there by a private sale broker. Last year 

 I called on a number of fruit brokers in 

 Great Britain and I selected a firm to 

 handle my crop. It is worth something 

 to see your broker and have a chat with 

 him about the business. I know that 

 there are some brokers not as reliable as 

 (Others. It will pay an exporter to see 

 his apples put on the market there and to 

 keep his eyes open from the time the ship 

 I aches port until the fruit is retailed. 



