APPLE GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 



CHAPTER X. 



IRRIGATION, CULTIVATION- COVER CROPS AND 

 FERTILIZERS. 



The scarcity of water in some parts of the state where apples are 

 uTown, and the total absence of rain during the summer season, makes 

 the conservation of moisture in the soil one of the important orchard 

 problems. Fortunately, the rainfall during the winter is ordinarily 

 quite heavy and the ground receives a good soaking during that season. 

 If nothing is done to check the evaporation of moisture after the rains 

 cease and the hnt weather comes on, the soil may become too dry in a 

 very short time. Those who are fortunate enough to have a good supply 

 of irrigation water are inclined to use it freely, thus keeping the orchard 



Fig. 4L'. Well tilled orchard in Humboldt County. 



in a moist condition without any attempt to conserve what is added. 

 Very frequently, it may be said, too much water is used for the 

 good of the orchard, which would be better off if less were applied and 

 the cultivator used more. The best condition of the soil occurs not 

 when it is excessively wet. but when it is quite moist and the surface 

 not baked but in a loose* workable condition. Aeration is just as neces- 

 sary for the best development of the root system as moisture, and an 

 excessive quantity of the latter may cut off the air supply to such an 

 extent as to interfere materially with the grow r th of the trees. 



It is sometimes difficult to make people believe that cultivation does 

 actually conserve the moisture, but a trial only is sufficient to convince 

 the most skeptical. The reason that it does lies in the fact that the 



