LAYING OUT THE OKCHARD. 



43 



tilled is surprisingly less than from a like soil untilled. 

 The experiments at the Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 

 lege, with a light sandy soil stirred four inches deep, 

 showed an evaporation of 542 barrels of water in seven 

 days from an acre, while a like soil undisturbed evapo- 

 rated 1,276 barrels a week ; a saving of nearly 105 barrels 

 a day. A heavy clay soil cultivated four inches deep 

 evaporated 904 barrels an acre, while 1,020 barrels were 

 lost from a similar acre undisturbed during the week ; a 

 saving of about 17 barrels a day by cultivation. Similar 

 experiments in New York at the Experiment Station 

 showed similar results. The crops that have'been pro- 

 duced on a poor soil by most thoroughly working it are 

 a demonstration of its great value to all crops. It may 

 be well to stir the surface every week of the growing 

 season. 



CHAPTER VII. 

 LAYING OUT THE ORCHARD. 



IT is desirable to have the trees of an orchard in 

 straight rows, not only for beauty, but for convenience 



Fig. 14. LAYING OUT IN SQUARES. 



in cultivation. If the rows are begun crooked, the diffi- 

 culty will increase as the planting progresses ; but if the 



