ORCHARD TILLAGE. 



region, then, clean and steady cultiva- 

 tion ought to be the rule for at least 

 that part of the year including the dry 

 season. 



However, bare soil soon loses its 

 humus and becomes infertile. This 

 must be prevented. Here is one way of 

 preventing it. Plow the orchard in the 

 spring, cultivate both ways and keep all 

 weeds down till September i, at which 

 time the soil will be in fine condition 

 for a seed bed. Sow rye at the rate of 

 two bushels per acre. This will cover 

 the ground well before winter, and there- 

 fore protect the ground from blowing or 

 hard freezing during the winter. Let 

 the rye stand till knee high in the 

 spring, then turn under and proceed 

 with clean cultivation through the sum- 

 mer. 



Deep cultivation is not essential nor 

 advisable, but the cultivation should be 

 frequent. Go over the ground after 

 every rain, if possible, with the disk or 

 the harrow to break the crust. This 

 will give a mulch of loose earth two 

 inches deep, which will greatly retard 

 evaporation and therefore conserve the 

 moisture for the use of the trees. This 

 system of management has the following 

 advantages : 



1. It provides the soil with a good 

 supply of organic matter (humus) which 

 will keep it in good physical condition as 

 well as prevent washing and blowing. 



2. It provides a cover for the ground 

 during winter, thus preventing the soil 

 from blowing ; it catches the snow, 

 thereby moderating the temperature of 

 the soil. 



3. It provides for clean cultivation 

 during the summer, the time when all 

 the moisture that falls should be con- 

 served for the use of the trees. 



4. By ceasing cultivation and intro- 

 ducing a crop September i, the trees 



are helped to ripen off their wood and 

 prepare for winter. 



These advantages are worthy of the 

 consideration of the orchardist. The 

 plan has worked well in the orchards of 

 this department, and it will ' without 

 doubt operate as successfully in many 

 other regions of the state. 



It is a matter of grave doubt as to 

 whether there is anything gained in the 

 long run by cropping the land that has 

 been planted to Iruit trees. Of course 

 it pays while the crops are being gather- 

 ed, but does it pay to have the orchard 

 come into bearing on soil reduced in 

 fertility? Will not the orchard during 

 its bearing period have need of all the 

 food elements that the soil contained at 

 the start ? Will not the productiveness 

 of the orchard be reduced in the same 

 proportion as the elements of fertility 

 have been removed by previous crops? 

 This will certainly be the case unless the 

 removed elements are restored by means 

 of fertilizers. Ground that supports an 

 apple orchard for thirty successive years 

 has no food to spare for corn crops. 

 Either cling to the orchard and forego 

 the corn crop or else depend upon the 

 corn and abandon the orchard. 



It is now the latter part of May. The 

 soil is moist, and good growing condi- 

 tions prevail all over the state. It is 

 nip and tuck between crop and weeds 

 on every side. With the farmer in the 

 garden or the cornfield, the weeds grow 

 apace in the orchard and often pre- 

 dominate. Once in control they soon 

 fully possess the situation ; and, as dry 

 weather prevails later on, they will con- 

 sume the water in the soil and leave 

 none for the trees, which thereby starve 

 for the time being. The only remedy 

 is prevention. Do not allow the weeds 

 to grow 



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