68 CROPPING THE ORCHARD 



of crops which are admissible will vary greatly with the owner's 

 circumstances. As already suggested the farm on which stock 

 is kept can profitably use a number of crops which can not be 

 grown on the special fruit farm. And these crops happen to be 

 among the most satisfactory in their relation to the orchard. 

 The man who is in the trucking business, or who is so situated 

 that he can handle truck crops, has another large selection of 

 crops which are almost ideal so far as the orchard is concerned, 

 but these crops can not usually be grown in sections far from 

 markets. It follows then that the orchard specialist has the 

 smallest number of companion crops from which to choose. 



2. The crop should be one which requires cultivation. There 

 is absolutely no question about this unless it be in the case of 

 crops sown late in the season which are really cover crops rather 

 than companion crops. Tliis matter of cultivation is a point 

 frequently overlooked by men who grow crops in their orchards, 

 but we are speaking of the ideal crops now. And the more 

 thorough the cultivation which is required by the crop the better 

 for the orchard. 



3. It ought to be a crop which does not require late stirring 

 of the soil, say in August or September. September work is 

 particularly objectionable. The philosophy of this point will be 

 seen on a moment's reflection, and the importance of it has been 

 demonstrated to the writer over and over again, though always, 

 he is glad to say, by other people. The young trees make their 

 growth early in the season and by August, and still more by 

 September, they are " sobering down " and thickening their 

 cells and beginning to get ready for winter. Now suppose one is 

 growing such a crop as early potatoes for example. Just at the 

 point where the trees want quiet the owner comes in with his 

 gang of men or his potato digger and gives the soil the most 

 thorough working it has had since the spring plowing. The re- 

 sult is that the trees are urged into new growth, new food is 

 made available for them and they go merrily forward till cold 

 weather comes on and checks them short. There is no time 

 then to prepare for the more severe weather which follows and 

 consequently the cambium or growing layer, between the bark 



