Fruit Growing 25 



Apples and Alfalfa. 



/ have recently come across a proposition to sozv apple orchards in 

 the interior of southern California unth alfalfa. The apples are said to 

 be superior and the crop heavier, to say nothing of a half or two-thirds 

 of an alfalfa crop in addition to the crop of apples. What do you know 

 about it? Is alfalfa being used by others in this way? 



It is perfectly rational to grow alfalfa in fruit orchards if the. 

 water supply is ample for both the trees and the intercrop and the 

 owner will not yield to the temptation to waterlog his trees for the 

 sake of getting more alfalfa. It is even more desirable in the interior 

 than near the coast, probably. In Arizona some growers have for a 

 number of years practiced growing alfalfa in orchards, cutting the 

 alfalfa without removing it, counting that clippings are worth more 

 to them through their decay and the increase of the humus content 

 of the soil. Even where this is not done, the alfalfa will add to the 

 humus of the soil by its own wastes both from root and stem. The 

 presence of an alfalfa cover reduces the danger of leaf and bark 

 burning either by reflected or radiated heat from a smooth ground 

 surface, and some trees are very much benefited by this protection 

 in regions of high temperature. This might be expected to be the 

 case with the apple, which is somewhat subject to leaf burning in 

 our interior valleys. 



Top Grafting. 



In grafting over apple and pear trees to some other variety, is it 

 advisable to cut oif and graft the entire tree the first year where the 

 trees are from y to 15 years old, or zvould it be better to cut off only 

 a part of the top the -first year and the rest the following year? 



In the coast region it is a good practice to graft over the whole 

 tree at one time, cutting, however, above the forks and not into the 

 main stem below the forking. This gives many scions which seem 

 able to take care of the sap successfully. In the interior valleys, it 

 is rather better practice to leave a branch or two, cutting them out 

 at the following winter's pruning, for probably the first year's grafts 

 will give you branches enough. This has the effect of preventing 

 the drowning out of the scions from too strong sap-flow. Cutting 

 back and regrafting of old trees should be done rather early, before 

 the most active sap-flow begins. The later in the season the grafting 

 is done, and the warmer the locality, the more desirable it seems to 

 be to leave a branch or two when grafting. 



Apple Budding. 



What is the best time to bud apples? 



Apples are budded in July and August and remain dormant until 

 the following spring. 



Mildew on Apple -Seedlings. 



Why do young apple plants in the seed bed become mildczved? They 

 are in a lath house. 



