Fall Work in Orchards 



J/W. Crow, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph 



THE sowing of a cover crop in mid- absence of sufBcient snowfall, care soil, and expert growers know that the 

 summer is the first step usually should be taken that the material ap- better the drainage, the better also are 

 taken by the orchardist to prepare pl'^d does not become a home for mice. the results secured, 

 his trees for winter. This year, how- Protection similar to that used for the The question of fall plowing in or- 



ever, the prolonged drouth materially same purpose in other cases, and illus- chards seems to be a debatable one. 



trated herewith, could be used where 



there is danger of this kind. 

 • Peach growers on the sandy soil about 



Leamington, Ontario, make use of to- 

 mato vines and similar material as a 



preventive of deep and injurious freez- 

 ing of the soil. The snowfall in that 



locality is very light, and it may be that 



others similarly situated could adopt 



this practice to advantage. This cover- 

 ing serves also as a moisture-saving 



mulch in summer and does away with 



the necessity of cultivating close to the 



low-headed trees in common use in that 



district. Many orchards are headed as 



low as ten inches. 



Look well to the condition of the or- 

 chard drains at this season. Most apple, 



pear and plum soils require drainage, 



and in preparing the ground for trees 



thorough drainage should be provided 



if it is not already present. Intelligerit- 



Jy cared for orchards will often repay 



many times over the cost of installing 



efficient underdrainage, and fall is a 



very favorable season for this work. 



Where underdrains are already in place, 



they should be kept in good working con- 



Protected trom iviice, Rabbits and Sun-scald 



Hy wrajjpingwith light-colored pajjcf. Building paper 

 is very satisfactory. Banking with earth is neces- 

 sary—not distinctly shown in illustration. 



checked the growth of trees, even where 

 cover crops were not sown, and trees 

 will probably go into winter conditions 

 well ripened and capable of enduring 

 severe cold. It is too late to discuss the 

 sowing of cover crops this season, but 

 there is at least one common form of 

 climatic injury which still can be pre- 

 vented by simple and inexpensive means. 

 Sun-scald is far too coomon, particularly 

 in northern .sections and, where trunks 

 are exposed, does a great amount of 

 damage. Low heading of trees would 

 obviate the conditions which permit of 

 injuries of this kind, and it would be 

 well for prospective planters to give this 

 phase of the question some thought. 



Illustrations accompanying this article 

 give more or less valuable suggestions 

 as to methods of avoiding this trouble on 

 trees already established. Protection 

 from mice and rabbits can, in the case 

 of small trees at least, be .secured at the 

 same time. Large trees can be protect- 

 ed from the ravages of mice by doing 

 away with places which might become 

 harbors for these pests, and the care- 

 ful use of poison is also to be recom- 

 mended. In sections where winter pro- 

 tection to roots is necessary through 



Suggestion for Use in Preventing Sun-scald 



Any protection that can be held in place without pro- 

 viding a harbor for mice would be suitable 



Early spring is usually considered the 

 correct time as the inevitable injury to 

 the root system can be most safely in- 

 flicted at that season. Less injury, too, 

 is liable to occur through deep freezing, 

 as the trees receive the benefit of any 

 sod or other protective growth which 

 may be present. Fall plowing is often 

 recommended for heavy soils where it is 

 desired to prepare a good seed bed for 

 spring sown field crops. In orchard 

 work, however, the case is different, as 

 the trees are in many cases damaged by 

 the otherwise beneficial deep freezing of 

 the soil. 



Tree Protected From Mice by Wooden Veneer 



Open to objection through injury which seems to be 



caused by formation of ice under the protection, 



otherwise very satisfactory. Veneers can be 



procured from basket manufacturers. 



dition and with unobstructed outlets 

 for surplus water. The writer has not 

 seen a good orchard of any kind on wet 



231 



Canadian Currants 



W. T. Macoun, Ottawa 



There are several good red currants 

 of Canadian origin, but the most im- 

 provement is found in the new black 

 varieties originated by Dr. Wm. Saun- 

 ders. In a bulletin on "Bush Fruits," 

 recently published, we described six- 

 teen of these which are now named. 

 The best of them are : Saunders, Kerry, 

 Eclipse, Magnus, Clipper, Climax, Eagle, 

 and Topsy. Their value lies in their 

 great productiveness and good qual- 

 ity. Most of them are seedlings of a 

 seedling of Black Naples. 



