OREGON WALNUTS 



25 



Trees planted too close together, crowding tops 



the spring rains. At frequent intervals the ground should be 

 harrowed, so that no weeds are allowed to grow and the ground 

 prevented from packing and cracking. These frequent shallow 

 harrowings should follow at short intervals until such time as 

 the young trees have made satisfactory growth, which should 

 normally be from the middle of July to the middle of August. 

 In our older orchards, it will probably be necessary to continue 

 tillage later in the fall, because if we do not hold the moisture, 

 the tree's vitality may be affected, or there may be a tendency 

 for the nuts not to fill well. Where trees do not start well the 

 first year or two, it may pay to give each tree a couple of buck- 

 ets of water some time during early summer. The trees should 

 be hoed soon after such watering. 



Where irrigation is practiced, it should be followed as is 

 generally done with the fruit trees. One should take care not 

 to have the water come in contact with the bodies of the young 

 trees. Pools of water should not be allowed to stand close 

 around the trees for any length of time. In irrigating, care 

 should be taken to get plenty of water down in the sub-soils to 

 encourage deep rooting of the trees. Irrigation should not, 

 however, take the place of tillage. The two must go hand in 

 hand if the best results are to be secured. Where one is depen- 



