FEEDING THE TKEE. 17 



I wish to repeat here, however, what I have said on a previous 

 page: Whatever system is foHowed, success will not be obtained 

 unless an abundant supply of plant food be provided; and the 

 cheapest and best method of supplying the above conditions must 

 be decided upon by the good sense of the grower, according to 

 his surroundings. 



The system of clover culture followed by Geo. T. Pow^ell, 

 Ghent, N. Y., is very desirable ou lands which admit of culti- 

 vation. His old orchards were formerly in turf for many 

 years and were either pastured by sheep or hogs, or the grass 

 cut and allowed to lie for a mulch. The land is now plowed 

 shallow as earlj' in spring as possible and cultivated frequently 

 up to July 15, when crimson clover" seed is sown broadcast at 

 the rate of t^velve pounds per acre and harrowed in to a depth 

 of two to three inches. This deep covering insures a better 

 start and germination during hot weathei\ The crimson 

 clover is allowed to grow during the summer and fall, when it 

 makes a dense mat covering the surface of the ground and a 

 fine winter mulch. It is plowed under very eaily the next 

 spring before it starts into growth. Young orchards are 

 treated in the same manner. This system of culture not only 

 improves the mechanical condition of the soil, but it adds all 

 the nitrogen necessary and also brings up considerable potash 

 and phosphoric acid from the subsoil. In one orchard in five 

 years the crimson clover added $300 worth of nitrogen per 

 acre. A modification of this system followed by some success- 

 ful orchardists is to sow red clover seed and to cut the clover 

 and leave it on the ground as a mvilch. 



