26 



than those in cultivated land, whilst it is 

 doubtful if manures can be supplied to 

 such advantage. 



The Sod and Mulch System. 

 The alternative to grazing a grass 

 orchard, and the only plan possible if 

 the trees are dwarfs, so that stock cannot 

 be introduced, is what is called in America 

 the " Sod-and-mulch System." By this is 

 meant that the herbage is mown twice a 

 year and allowed to lie as a mulch on the 

 surface and decompose there. Obviously 

 a crop of hay should never be taken from 

 an orchard. To do so is bound to im- 

 poverish the land and rob the trees. If, 

 on the other hand, we leave the mown 

 grass on the land, nothing is lost to the 

 trees. The plant food contained in the 

 herbage is gradually returned to the soil, 

 together with a certain amount of humus, 

 whilst the mulch of greenstuff serves to 

 keep the surface moist. If a leguminous 

 crop is treated in this way the soil gains 

 in nitrogen as well. I am trying this sod- 

 and-mulch system with both grass and 

 lucerne. In both cases this is the fourth 

 year of mowing, and I have no reason to 

 be dissatisfied with the results. The trees 

 look well and bear good crops. Mowing 

 this year cost about 14s. per acre. A one- 

 horse mower cut down between the rows, 

 leaving narrow strips actually in the tree 

 rows to be cut by hand. This work has to 

 be done twice, making the annual cost 28s. 

 per acre. I reckon that the annual cost 

 under cultivation would be three or four 



times as great. It is not found, however^ 

 that the system, even when lucerne i& 

 grown, obviates the need for manure. 

 Some of the trees now show the want of 

 it. The chief drawback is the difficulty of 

 getting the second mowing done before the 

 herbage is too far advanced, because the 

 horse mower cannot be used till the crop 

 is gathered, on account of the danger of 

 knocking off fruit. I am not sure that 

 lucerne can be recommended for this pur- 

 pose. It does not like shade, and is evi- 

 dently not going to last many years. On 

 some soils it would probably stand better, 

 my land not being such that suits lucerne, 

 even when grown without the disadvant- 

 age of trees overhead. 



Motor Tractors in Fruit Plantations. 

 Colonel Olive Murdock, of Linton, near 

 Maidstone, cultivates some 200 acres of 

 fruit plantation with two " Cletrac " 

 caterpillar 25-h.p. engines, made by the 

 Burford Company, U.S.A. Only one 

 horse is kept on this farm; these cater- 

 pillar motors haul the produce off the field 

 to two motor lorries, which take the pro- 

 duce to the station. The " Cletrac " costs 

 about £375. 



Pigs as Cultivators. 

 Many weedy plantations are being 

 cleaned and improved by numerous pigs 

 pasturing, fed with additional food; kept 

 in with wire netting. Their grouting 

 about improves the condition of the land 

 and the trees and bushes. See Appendix. 



