Planting a Nev/ Orchard? 



To be impressed v;ith the seriousness of the erosion proh- 

 lem one\ needs only to see a side lull orchard v/here erosion over 

 a period of years has raised the soil on the lovver side of the 

 orchsrd as much as 2^j feetj, as evidenced by the difference in 

 soi]. level on opposite sides of a stone wall. That situation 

 acoually exists in a Connecticut Valley orchard. Constant cul- 

 tivation up and dovm the hill plus potential gulli.es started by 

 wheel tracks^ have almost ruined the upper half of this area. 

 Such situations stress the need for contour planting on sloping 

 areas. This applies particularly to peach orchards although 

 contour apple orchards should become more common in Massachusetts. 

 In addition to the conservation of vvater and soil^ another big 

 advantage in this method is that it enables one to travel "on the 

 level" with the sprayer or other orchard equipment. Service is 

 now available for any grov/er v;ho contemplates a contour planting 

 or v;ho is interested in means of preventing erosion in present 

 plantings. In Massachusetts, A. B. Beaumont is in a position to 

 give assistance in matters pertaining to either erosion control 

 or contour planting. Any interested grov/er should confer with 

 his county agricultural agent. 



Inc reasing Str aw berry Yields 



Joseph Rose of Falmouth has a reputation for being a good 

 strawberry grower. His yields are far above the average. One is 

 impressed by the appearance of his plants and by the spongy feel 

 of his soil due to a generous supply of organic mrtter. On in- 

 quiry, we find that he rackes a practice of plowing Lmder three 

 cover crops before the strawberry plants are set. Here are his 

 sources of organic matter: rye, corn and buckv:heat, and millet. 

 Liberal fertilization of these cover crops gets his soil in siich 

 excellent condition as regards reserve fertility, retentiveness, 

 and aeration that he has much less need for stimulation of the 

 str£a;berry plants after they- are s^': out; He hrrvests around 

 12,000 quarts per acre. 



One Grower's Idea of Stravrberry Varieties 



A. W. Love of Auburn lias experimented a n^omber of years 

 Y'!±th various varieties of sm-'ll fruits and on the basis of his 

 experience has this to r&y about strawberries: Catskill tcKes 

 number one rank "without the slightest question." Aberdeen is 

 good for the "pick them yourself" tvfjde v.-hile the Howard 17 pro- 

 vides some early berries". Ke thixiks the everbearers have been 

 misnamed as far as his location is concerned. They should be 

 called "never bearers." For reasons v/hich are not entirely clear, 

 he finds that raspberries do much better on a north or northeast 

 slope. Low temperature injury to canes in spring may bo a factor. 

 "Ilever agrin," he says, "will I plant on e southern slope or on 

 level land. j]ven where the soils are equally well drained, tlie 

 slope makes the differ-ence bet\"een success and failure." 



