THE RENOVATION OF AN OLD ORCHARD. 53 



dred tons, therefore is it any wonder that the old trees fail and go 

 into decline when they reach the age of from thirty to forty years, 

 when they are daily robbed of an amount of water to this extent, 

 and at a time when they recjuire it for the formation of new wood, 

 the development of new fruit buds, and for the maturity of their 

 fruit . 



From the time that we broke up the sod in this old orchard and 

 began the clover culture the trees have taken on new life, for they 

 made new growth and have borne the largest and most profitable 

 crops in their history. For the past two years the fruit from this 

 orchard has been of such high quality, in such varieties as the 

 Spitzenburg, King, Northern Spy, and Jonathan, that it has been 

 sufficiently good to be packed in bushel boxes and has readily sold 

 at the rate of $10.00 per barrel. 



On much of New England soil clover does not take or grow well. 

 While this is true it does not follow that it cannot be grown; with 

 more than two centuries of great production, the soil is somewhat 

 depleted in both its plant food and humus. Certain organisms in 

 the soil necessary to the nourishment and growth of the clover 

 have been worn out, used up or are practically lost, and this is the 

 reason why clover, in these later years, has so generally failed to 

 grow. 



Under this system of clover culture the tillage of the orchard is 

 done in the early spring and summer, when the trees naturally 

 make their growth. The growth of apple trees is made, practically, 

 by the 1st to the 10th of July, according to the season, while from 

 that time on through the autumn the maturity of the wood and the 

 development of fruit buds are accomplished. By sowing the clover 

 seed about the 1st of Julv it begins to germinate and cover the soil 

 by the 1st of August, and as the clover grows it aids in checking to 

 some extent the continued growth of the tree, which is most desirable 

 for the better maturity of the wood and the most perfect develop- 

 ment of the fruit buds. The tap root of the red clover goes down 

 deep into the subsoil and brings up the potash, phosphoric acid, 

 and nitrogen that lie far below (in the subsoil) where the plow and 

 cultivating implements cannot reach, and in the decomposition 

 of the clover roots these fertilizing elements are left near the surface 

 where thev mav be utilized. 



