CHAPTER VII. 

 SOIL CULTIVATION IN FRUIT PLANTATIONS. 



By Ernest M. Bear, of Hailsham, Sussex. 



The cultivation of the land under fruit 

 trees and bushes is a matter of import- 

 ance, particularly whilst the plantation is 

 young. Primarily it is done to keep down 

 weeds, but it also does much to promote 

 the growth and well-being of the trees, 

 provided that the implements do not go 

 deep enough to injure the roots. For 

 several years after the trees have been 

 planted, even if there are rows of bushes 

 between them, most of the work can be 

 done with a horse-drawn cultivator. This 

 implement should be light in build and 

 capable of having its width adjusted so 



plement and fit several of the flat ones 

 on the rear when necessary. 



Some such cultivator as that described 

 above should be set to work as soon as 

 the land is dry enough in spring. If it 

 can work in two directions there will be 

 only a small square of land round each 

 tree and bush to hoe by hand. This cul- 

 tivation and hand hoeing should be re- 

 peated at frequent intervals throughout 

 the spring, summer and autumn. It can 

 hardly be overdone, but it is particularly 

 necessary in late spring and early summer, 

 to form a mulch of fine soil, which does 



The Fruit Farm Plough (Elevation), designed by W. P. Seabrook and J. B. Udall, made by 

 E. H. Bentall and Co., Maldon, Essex. 



that when it passes between the rows it 

 may stir the soil to within a foot of the 

 stems of the trees and bushes. It should 

 have two sets of tines which are inter- 

 changeable — straight ones to break up the 

 surface when it is panned down hard, as 

 when the first cultivation is done in early 

 spring, and a set of wide, flat shares to use 

 later in the season when the soil is looser, 

 to cut the weeds more effectually. In 

 practice it is generally found best to keep 

 the straight tines on the front of the im- 



much to conserve moisture down below by 

 checking its upward flow and evaporation 

 from the surface, and again as far as pos- 

 sible into the autumn, to clear the land of 

 weeds in preparation for winter. After 

 the last autumn cultivation it is a good 

 plan to draw a shallow furrow with a 

 double-breasted plough down the centre 

 of each alley between the rows. This pro- 

 vides surface drainage and tends to pre- 

 vent the land from lying too wet during 

 winter. 



