42 THE NEW HORTICULTURE. 



narrow stripes between the rows of trees would be deeply plowed. 

 Probably the soil above the roots could then be most economically 

 kept mellow by means of a cultivator, or of some of the most effec- 

 tive of modern harrows. When the time arrives that the roots of 

 the trees nearly fill the soil, and the laud should be entirely devoted 

 to the trees and fruit, and the growing of temporary crops ceases, the 

 question presents itself : 'Should the surface be still, cultivated, or 

 should it be seeded down ? ' If seeded to grass, I am quite positive 

 that no grass, in any form, should be removed from the orchard ; it 

 should be mowed frequently, and left as a mulch upon the ground, or 

 it should be pastured closely with sheep or swine. Which of these 

 species of animals it would be advisable to keep upon the orchard 

 would depend largely upon the fruit-grower's ability to handle the 

 animals with most profit. Most men would probably do better with 

 swine than sheep. There has been less decline in the price of pork, 

 for several years, than in the price of wool. If sheep were kept, 

 mutton sheep are preferable. Mr. Woodward and many others claim 

 that sheep are better gleaners of fallen apples and the insects they 

 contain than swine. 



"Another question of momentous importance in connection with 

 this subject is : ' Which would best conserve the moisture in the soil, 

 a mellow surface or a surface covered with grass ? ' Experience 

 would unhesitatingly say, a mellow surface. Yet, if the grass were 

 mowed before it blossomed, and left spread upon the ground, as a 

 mowing-machine leaves it, before the advent of the dry season, the 

 mulch would afford nearly as much protection to the roots, perhaps 

 quite as much, as a mulch of mellow soil. I really question whether 

 it makes a great deal of difference in the productiveness of orchards, 

 after they have come into bearing, and their roots pretty much fill 

 the soil, whether the surface is kept mellow by frequent cultivation, 

 or is seeded to grass and kept mulched, or pastured with sheep or 

 swine, provided the trees are liberally supplied with plant food. Ac- 

 cording to my observation for several years, since attention was 

 called to this question, the most productive old orchards have been 

 in sod. Whether the sod was an efficient cause of that productive- 

 ness, or some other causes were dominant, I am unable to say." 



H. B. Hillyer, of Belton, Texas, closes a letter on the 

 subject of " Cultivation of Orchards" as follows : 



"But is cultivation of a bearing orchard necessary? May not 

 Mr. Stringfellow be right? I am leaning to that opinion. I have a 

 beautiful orchard, thirty varieties of peaches, twenty of plums, twenty 

 of grapes, twelve of pears, four of apples, five of figs, five of apricots, 

 two of nectarines, two of blackberries. My orchard is cultivated 

 nicely. I have some twelve or fourteen peach trees in my yard and 

 chicken run. These have never been cultivated, but have been sur- 

 face manured. Last year, on account of severe cold, fruit in all of 

 this section was almost a failure, was an entire failure in my culti- 

 vated orchard, while the trees in my yard and chicken run made good 

 crops, some of them as much as four or five bushels. This season 



