158 



The Principles of Frnit- growing. 



furrow to be thrown towards the tree each spring, 

 particularly if the land is in good tilth; but it is al- 

 ways advisable, upon fairly level ground, to plow the 

 orchard in opposite directions in alternate years. 

 Land which is so wet that it needs to be thrown 

 permanently into ridges for drainage 

 is not often adapted to fruit. 



The difficulty of working close to 

 the trees has had the effect of en- 

 couraging too high pruning. There 

 is a tendency to start tops too high 

 rather than too low, thereby exposing 

 great length of trunk to injuries of 

 sun and wind, and elevating the top 

 beyond the reach of pickers and of 

 sprays. For most trees the ideal 

 length of trunk is under five feet 

 rather than above it, and implements 

 now in the market allow of this 

 lower training. Trees which have 

 low tops, or which hang low with 

 fruit, can be reached by separating 

 the halves of any of the double 

 Fig. 16. Set-over harrows by means of a long dou- 

 beam vineyard plow, bletree, so that the halves, when ad- 

 justed, run from four to six feet 

 from each other. A cut-away harrow rigged in 

 this manner will work away the back -furrows from 

 under the trees during the season. All cultivators or 

 harrows with high handles, wheels or levers should 

 be discarded if orchards are worked when the limbs 



