782 



THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK STATE 



fall from the trees just coming into bearing. It seems to be true 

 that the older spurs will hold their fruit the following spring 

 better than the ones that formed late in the season. It is also true 

 that these trees just coming into bearing are still likely to grow 

 late enough so that there is danger of early winter injury. For 

 these reasons,, then, it seems particularly wise that the system 

 outlined above, of early plowing and of early sowing of the cover 

 crop, should be followed. In fact, during the first fe\v years 





FIG. 205. A YOUNG APPLE ORCHARD BELONGING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF 

 POMOLOGY, NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, ITHACA, X. Y., WITH 

 DWARF ESSEX RAPE SOWN JULY 19 AS A COVER CROP 

 In this heavy soil the rape has probably made more growth than could hav^e 



been expected from any other crop. 



after an intercrop ceases to be grown in the orchard, it would 

 seem wise to sow a cover crop early in July in any but the lighter 

 soils. By this means, not only will the humus supply of the soil 

 be kept up to the best advantage, but the trees will go into winter 

 in the hardiest condition and will likely be brought into conditions 

 of growth more favorable to early fruiting. 



TILLAGE OF BEARING ORCHARD 



In case of the bearing orchard, the importance of early plowing 

 in the spring is as great as with trees at other ages. It is possible 



