40 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



being to cut out one-half as soon as the trees begin to crowd. It \a 

 not a bad practice when faithfully carried out, but, in the hands of 

 the average cultivator, the thinning process is seldom begun soon 

 enough, which may result in serious injury and is always harmful. 

 (U. S. E. S. B. 178.) 



The question of the portion of land which may be used in 

 orchard cropping is one which is open to various opinions. It will 

 depend first upon the distance between the trees, and second, upon 

 the age of the orchard. In a newly planted orchard a strip three to 

 four feet wide should be devoted entirely to the growth of the trees. 

 As the size of the trees increase from year to year, this space should 

 be gradually increased. At all times it would be advisable to give 

 the trees all of the soil which the roots permeate, and use only that 

 unoccupied by the trees for the crop which is to be removed. The 

 mistake is too often made of growing other crops too close to the trees 

 often resulting in permanent injury to the tree. (Wis. E. S. B. 

 207.) 



FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS OF FRUIT CROPS. 



Preparation is a very important process in planting out 

 orchards and small fruits. Frequently fruit growers are in 'such a 

 hurry to plant that they are obliged against their better judgment to 

 set out trees on ground unfitted by tillage for their reception. Trees 

 to do their best need to have the land in a high state of culture when 

 they are planted. It is wise, where practicable, to anticipate planting 

 by two or three years and practice a rotation of crops which will 

 bring the soil into perfect condition. Deep plowing can not be done 

 in the orchard, but is by all means to be advised in the years pre- 

 ceding planting. The turning under of green manures and the 

 growing of hoed crops is advisable. On rich land or new land which 

 needs subduing, corn is a very good crop to plant. It is the best in- 

 dex crop known for bringing out the inequalities of the land. It will 

 show the poor spots that need extra manure and frequently will de- 

 velop the wet areas which need drainage. Cotton also answers fairly 

 well for this purpose in the South. The best thing, however, to im- 

 mediately precede the planting is some crop like Irish potatoes, sweet 

 potatoes, or garden vegetables of some kind. Such crops bring the 

 soil into practically a garden condition, for with them deep plowing, 

 high manuring and fertilizing, and thorough cultivation are com- 

 monly practiced. 



Subsoiling is to be highly recommended on all lands which are 

 underlaid by a more or less stiff clay subsoil. This should be done 

 when necessary in the fall, immediately preceding the planting of 

 the trees. Perhaps the best way is to subsoil the strip 6 to 8 feet wide 

 on which the trees are to be planted. Then the following fall sub- 

 soil a strip 3 or 4 feet wide on each side of this strip, and continue 

 this annually until the center is reached. Subsoiling is particularly 

 important, for the reason that it opens up stiff clay subsoils to the 

 passage of the roots and deeply stirs the land in a manner which can 

 never be done after the roots occupy the soil. However, cowpeas and 

 clover in the orchard can produce a somewhat similar effect. One of 



