346 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



FERTILIZING THE ORCHARD. 



The orchards of this country are the 

 most neglected of any of our crops. It may 

 seem strange to some to call an orchard a 

 rop, but that is what it is. It is grown 

 for the purpose of producing something 

 for use or sale just as other crops are, and 

 it is a notorious fact that this crop is 

 more neglected than any other we grow. 

 Prof. L. H. Bailey, of Cornell, recently 

 said some things about orchard manage- 

 ment. He said: 



Good drainage, natu.al or artificial, is 

 essential to success. Trees are impatient 

 of wet feet. 



Good tillage increases the available food 

 supply of the soil, and also conserves its 

 moisture. 



Tillage should be begun just as soon as 

 the ground is dry enough in the spring, 

 and should be repeated as often as once in 

 4en days throughout the growing season, 

 which extends from spring until July or 

 August. 



Only cultivated crops should be allowed 

 in orchards early in the season. Grain 

 and hay should never be grown. 



Even-howed or cultivated crops rob the 

 trees of moisture and fertility if they are 

 allowed to stand above the tree roots. 



Watch a sod orchard. It will begin to 

 fail before you know it. 



Probably nine-tenths of the apple or- 

 chards are in sod, and many of them are 

 meadows. Of course they are failing. 



The remedy for these apple failures is 

 to cut down many of the orchards. For 

 the remainder of the treatment is cultiva- 

 tion, spraying the trinity of orthodox 

 apple growing. 



Potash is the chief fertilizer to be ap- 

 plied to fruit trees, particularly after they 

 come into bearing. 



Potash may be had in wood ashes and 

 muriate of potash. It is most commonly 

 used in the latter form. An unusual ap- 

 plication of potash should be made upon 

 tearing orchards, 500 pounds to the acre. 



Phosphoric acid is the second important 

 fertilizer to be applied artificially to or- 

 chards. Of the plain superphosphates, 

 from 300 to 500 pounds may be applied to 

 the acre. 



Nitrogen can be obtained cheapest by 

 means of thorough tillage (to promote nitri 

 fication) and nitrogenous green manures. 



Barn manures are generally more econo- 

 mically used when applied to farm crops 

 than when applied to orchards; yet they 

 can be used with good results, particularly 

 when rejuvenating the old orchards. 



SOIL MAPS. 



The Department of Agriculture at Wash 

 ington will soon issue soil maps which will 

 enable the farmer wherever he is located to 

 determine just what crops will bring him 

 the largest returns. They are printed in 

 colors, the meaning of the different colors 

 fully explained and suggestions as to rela- 

 tive values of soils and their adaptability to 

 crops offered for the guidance of the tiller 

 of the land. 



The magnitude of the work may be 

 understood when it, is known that the en- 

 tire country will be included. The vast 

 single map which will represent the coun- 

 try as a whole will indicate each ten-acre 

 plot by a square one-eighth inch in size. 

 But each farmer will be able to procure a 

 chart of his own neighborhood on a larger 

 scale, so that he can arrange his planting 

 in accordance with the suggestions which 

 it conveys. The work is done by town 

 ships to start with, and these are put to- 

 gether to make counties, which are finally 

 assembled to form complete maps of states 



Hitherto the business of farming has 

 been to some extent guess work; the far- 

 mer formed a surmise as to what crop- 

 were best for him to try. and did his plant- 

 ing accordingly. Henceforth it may be quite 

 different. He may study the government 

 map, and from it may obtain advice based 

 on the highest scientific knowledge as to 

 what will be best for him to grow. Then 



