102 The Principles of Fruit-growing 



may be sent into the winter in soft and unripened condition. 

 If land is in good tilth, as it is when in best condition for 

 the growing of potatoes or melons, tillage beyond that 

 needed to conserve the moisture is useless. It is a common 

 practice to head-in trees that are making too vigorous 

 growth, but this practice usually aggravates the difficulty 

 rather than corrects it. The rational treatment for such 

 trees is to check the growth by some means, as by lessen- 

 ing the tillage or by withholding stimulating fertilizers. 



CROPPING THE PLANTATION 



It will now be asked what crops may be grown in 

 the fruit-plantation: fruit-crops always, grain and hay 

 never! 



Any hoed or tilled crop .may be used for the first few 

 years; but it must be remembered that every crop com- 

 petes with the trees for food and moisture, and whatever 

 may befall the crop, the trees should not be allowed to 

 suffer. As a general statement, it may be said that a space 

 3 or 4 feet wide should be left on all sides of the tree the 

 first year, and this area should be enlarged a foot or two 

 each year; and the space should continue to enlarge until 

 the trees occupy the entire surface. Corn and some other 

 luxuriant plants appropriate moisture more quickly than 

 can the tree. In general, some low-growing crop that 

 demands good tillage and comes off the land early is best. 

 The notion that young trees should be shaded by a crop is 

 probably erroneous for most regions. In orchards set less 

 than 20 feet apart, the land should rarely be cropped after 

 the third year; but apple orchards, if well cared for, may be 

 cropped lightly for seven or eight years. In no case should 

 the grower expect to secure as much crop on orchard land 



