170 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 



CROPPING THE ORCHARD. 



It will now be asked what crops may be grown 

 in the orchard. Grain and hay, never! Any hoed 

 crop may be used for the first few years ; but it 

 must be remembered that every crop competes with 

 the trees for food and moisture, and whatever may 

 befall the crop, the trees should not be allowed to 

 suffer. An open space should be left about the tree, 

 free of crops, at least several feet in extent. As 

 a general statement, it may be said that a space 

 three feet wide should be left upon all sides of the 

 tree the first year, and this area should be enlarged 

 a foot or two each year ; and this space should con- 

 tinue to enlarge until the trees occupy the entire sur- 

 face. Corn and some other luxuriant plants appro- 

 priate moisture more quickly than the tree can. 

 In general, some low -growing crop which demands 

 good tillage and comes off the land early is best. 

 The notion that young trees should be shaded by a 

 <-rop is probably erroneous for most regions. In 

 orchards set less than twenty 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 upon 

 orchard land as upon other areas ; and the drier 

 the land, the less should it be cropped. When the 

 orchard comes to bearing age, give it the entire land. 

 Thereafter, the most profitable secondary crop to raise 

 is cultivators. 



