VEGETABLE GROWING IN YOUNG ORCHARD. 135 



practice. These conditions may be thus summarized : 



If the soil be of only average richness, the rainfall mod- 

 erate to meagre in amount, and no facilities for irrigation, 

 it would be unfortunate to place any other burden on the 

 land than the growth of the trees. 



If the soil be not very rich and the rainfall heavy, but 

 the moisture easily lost by percolation or evaporation, 

 owing to non-retentiveness of the soil, and no irrigation 

 facilities, give the trees all the ground and the most per- 

 fect summer cultivation possible. 



If the land be rich, the rainfall abundant and moisture 

 held well in the soil, or if irrigation can be made use of, 

 it is fair to think of an -inter-crop during the early years 

 of the orchard, providing the crop can be profitably dis- 

 posed of, its nature is such that no heavy draft is made 

 on fertility, and the financial condition of the planter re- 

 quires immediate return from the land, if possible. 



It thus appears that an inter-crop is finally made to 

 hinge upon the grower's necessities, and the inference 

 would be that if the money is not needed immediately, it 

 would be wiser to hold the whole strength of the soil as an 

 investment on which returns are to be finally had in the 

 increased growth and fuller fruiting of the trees in later 

 years. 



This views the matter from a commercial point of view 

 and therefore in its most aggravated form. If it is merely 

 a question of whether the home supply of vegetables shall 

 be taken from the young orchard or vineyard, it is less 

 serious and can be more freely commended. 



In growing vegetables between the rows of trees or 

 vines, much depends of course upon the time and the way 

 it is done. If water can be applied between the rows late 

 in the summer in such a way that it will not prevent the 

 deciduous trees from going forward to their usual dor- 

 mancy, or if the grower waits until the fall rains wet the 

 ground sufficiently and then puts in his vegetables for late 

 fall and winter growth without carrying them too near 

 the trees, he can make his winter garden, enjoy its pro- 



