TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING. 115 



"The conclusion of the whole matter is this: Certain 

 sod orchards under special conditions, such as heavy manure 

 mulching, together with some pasturing to keep the grass 

 down, give good results — perhaps as good as clean cultiva- 

 tion. But the skillful fruit grower can expect more than the 

 law of averages will give. And even the general grower 

 should note that thorough tillage is the most profitable meth- 

 od of soil management." 



In a survey of Orleans County^', the report is that the 

 young trees in sod usually make a very poor growth, as com- 

 pared with those in tilled orchards. Probably more damage 

 is done by sod than by all other causes. 



Excluding all neglected orchards and counting only 

 those fairly well cared for, those wdiich have been tilled for 

 ten years gave a larger yield by 45 per cent than those which 

 were in sod for the same period. 



Frequently the apples from sod orchards are more 

 highly colored, but this is apparently more than compensated 

 for by the larger size of fruit from tilled orchards. At any 

 rate, the average price of fruit from tilled orchards is a 

 little higher per barrel. 



Sod orchards pastured give a better yield than unpas- 

 tured. 



If there is a method of sod culture as good as tillage it 

 is not yet found by the average farmer. But tillage must 

 stop early in July. 



The same station, reporting on conditions in \\'ayne 

 County, New York^^, states that about one-half of the or- 

 chards have been in sod for five or ten years or longer ; and 

 one-half have been tilled more or less. 



Orchards which have been tilled for five years or more 

 have yielded 35 per cent more fruit than sod orchards which 

 have been well treated, and in other respects are like the 

 tilled orchards. 



One more quotation from this Bulletin — for you see now 



" Cornell University Station Bulletin 229. 

 " Cornell University Station Bulletin 226. 



