72 



it a little bit, and it doesn't look as if it amounts to much; 

 but it forms a blanket over the top and the water conies up 

 through the ground — he didn't explain it — but it comes up 

 through the ground by capillary attraction, follows up the 

 same as oil follows a lamp wick up, and it has a regular 

 <30urse up between the solid part. When you plow and 

 wdien you cultivate, especially when you cultivate, you break 

 up that crust and that prevents the water from escaping. It 

 comes up and when it gets up to where the little courses are 

 broken it has got to stay right there, and there is where our 

 plants are able to use it, and that is why cultivation does so 

 much good. 



In regard to cultivating peaches, we try to plow the 

 ground twice in the spring and we seldom plow over two 

 inches deep, just as shallow as we can hold the plow in the 

 ground, just enough so that it will turn the top layer of soil 

 over anywhere from 1 1-2 to 3. We don't like to get over 3 

 inches if we can possibly help it. We plough it twice and 

 harrow the ground within an hour after it is plowed. In no 

 case let it stay over longer than is absolutely necessary. We 

 try to have a rough gang plow and have ib<i harrow follow 

 so that there is not over ten minutes between the plow and 

 the harrow. We cultivate every other day through the en- 

 tire season, about twice a week we try to go over the ground 

 with the weeder. We don't use the harrow then. Fre- 

 quent, shallow cultivation is what we believe in. We don"t 

 cultivate over an inch or two deep, but by doing it all the 

 time the weeds don't get a chance to sprout. 



Mr. Frost. What is the lowest temperature you have 

 had in your home this winter? 



Mr. Henry. There are places near us wher-3 they got 

 down to 25 degrees below. On top of the hills Ihey didn't 

 get down to more than 10 degrees or 15 degrees, but we 

 found with us it made a great difference in the levels. I was 

 talking with one man last night who has peaches on the hill 

 and his peaches are alive. Just as soon as he begins lo dip 

 off eight or ten feet the peaches are all dead, but Avhen he 

 gets on top they are all alive. 



Mr. Frost. What do you consider is the limit on peach- 

 es? 



Mr. Henry. It makes a great difference about going 

 into the winter. That is where the cultivation helps out. 

 Trees go into the winter in strong, fine shape, and the buds 

 are able to stand a good deal. I think condition and eleva- 



