96 



The Principles of Fruit-growing 



arises from the use of the old-fashioned implements of 

 tillage, and also from a misconception of what the plow- 

 ing of an old orchard should be; for if the orchard is 

 properly cared for in its earlier years, 

 very heavy breaking will not be needed 

 in its later life. 



This labor of working about trees is 

 greatly facilitated by the use of harnesses 

 which have no metal projections. There 

 should be no hames with elevated tops, 

 and the turrets on the back-pads should 

 be simply leather loops. The back-pad 

 itself should be reduced to a single wide 

 strap devoid of wadding. Harnesses with 

 no traces, but drawing by a single chain 

 between the horses, have been designed 

 for orchards, but they have not become 

 popular with workmen. 



The better the plowing and other till- 

 age of the orchard in the first few years of 

 its life, the easier and more efficient the 

 subsequent plowing should be. If care is 

 taken to keep the land friable and well- 

 filled with humus, it may not be necessary to turn fur- 

 rows at the spring plowing after four or five years. 

 Persons commonly suppose that an orchard must be 

 plowed the same as corn or potato ground, by inverting 

 the land and running regular furrows; but inasmuch as 

 the object is only to keep the land mellow on top, and 

 not to get a crop into it, heavy plowing is not essential. 

 Very often some of the heavier harrows or light gang- 

 plows may be used to tear up the ground in spring, if 

 the land has been put into proper condition when the 



FIG. 19. Set-over- 

 beam vineyard plow. 



