130 



CULTUEAL METHODS IN ORCHARDS OF EARLY 



BEARING AGE. 



The data from our experiments in orchards ranging 

 frdm 6 to 20 years of age are too extensive and somewhat 

 too complicated for definite presentation here. In general 

 however their results are not materially different in trend 

 from those already given. The mulched trees have usually 

 been first in both yields and growth, and they have been 

 followed in most cases by those receiving tillage alone. 

 The tillage and covercrop treatment has fallen slightly be- 

 hind tillage ialone in the majority of cases, while the sod 

 treatment has practically uniformly resulted in the least 

 growth, and it is now also last in yields in about two-thirds 

 of the comparisons. The mulched fruit also has usually 

 averaged largest in size, and generally second to sod in 

 color. The sod fruit on the other hand has practically al- 

 ways been highest in color, but lowest or next to the lowest 

 in size in most cases. 



The addition of a mulch alone in these orchards, at the 

 rate of about 3 tons per acre of outside materials, has given 

 an average increase of about 25 bushels per acre annually, 

 and a maximum average gain of 36 bushels. The mulch 

 therefore must evidently be confined to relatively cheap 

 materials in order to show an immediate and regular profit 

 in trees of this age. 



In two cases out of nine the addition of covercrops has 

 given an average increase of about 25 bushels per acre 

 annually over the use of tillage alone. In one other case 

 there has been a slight gain from the covercrops, but in all 

 the remaining comparisons they have fallen behind tillage 

 alone, and in one instance they now show a deficit of over 40 

 bushels per acre. In growth the covercrops have shown a 

 slight advantage in five cases out of nine, but the benefit has 

 been too slight to justify clearly their use. In view of these 

 and other results already presented, it now seems inadvis- 

 able for any orchardist to make an extensive use of annual 

 covercrops without first testing them fairly thoroughly and 

 determining whether or not they are of any material value 

 in his particular location. 



