The Canadian Horticulturist. 279 



PLOUGH THE ORCHARD. 



UCH of the popular teaching has been (on paper) never to plough 

 the orchard after the trees have attained considerable size and 

 have come into bearing condition. " The plough cuts off much 

 of the root growth," the story goes, " and works great injury to 

 the trees. Better far to top-dress or pasture sheep and let the 

 trees remain in grass." 



It never was our luck to be on the popular side. For some 

 reason we always have to look on, as opportunity offers, and see how the thing 

 works. That a bounteous crop of apples can be grown with the trees in grass, 

 we have seen proved. At the same time we have noted far more of success, a 

 more continuous and bountiful production of fruit, where the orchard was 

 ploughed and manured in frequent rotation. From years of observation, and 

 something of experience, we confidently claim an orchard will show no injury 

 from proper ploughing, but on the contrary, that on land suited to plough this 

 is the cheapest and most effectual way of sustaining the health and thrift of the 

 trees, and keeping them up to a bountiful production. Fruit is what we are 

 after, and we want it often. Put the plough in, then, and stir up the soil. 

 No matter if the roots are cut off, the tree will not be injured thereby any more 

 than by the removal of a limb in pruning. With the ploughing apply manure 

 of some kind, in small quantity, and note the marvelous effect. It is fruit that 

 is wanted, not grass. A light manuring will work good results where the grass 

 is turned under. Better to manure lightly and plough often than to apply boun- 

 tifully, thinking to continue the benefits of a single application through a series 

 of years. We have never seen an orchard injured from ploughing, except in 

 the mind of a sensitive theorist. 



Pasturing to sheep is well as far as it goes, but in the long run is not suffi- 

 cient to keep production up to its possible certainty and frequency, unless there 

 is a wide run outside the orchard enclosure and the flocks huddle among the 

 trees. We were forcibly impressed with the correctness of the ground here 

 taken on passing, a few days since, the well-known "True orchard," in the town 

 of Wayne. The last time previously we had passed this orchard it had been 

 pastured for several years with sheep. The foliage was looking pale and sickly, 

 and the orchard throughout wore a discouraged and decaying look, and with 

 only here and there a few straggling apples upon the trees. Since that time this 

 orchard has changed hands, and is now owned by that active and enterprising 

 farmer, B. F. Maxim, of that town. Mr. Maxim has put in the plough and 

 stirred up the soil of the entire orchard, and though a crop of grain was taken 

 off the present season, yet the whole orchard apparently is red with its bountiful 

 crop of fruit. No doubt this great change could have been brought about by 

 top-dressing, but it would have been far more costly. Too much of the surface 

 application goes to feed the grass only, while the trees are left to starve. The 

 sod needs to be broken, and the fertilizer of whatever kind put into the soil 

 where the rootlets of the trees can find it. Don't be afraid of ploughing the 

 orchard, only do it carefully and properly. — Exchange. 



