Tenth Annual Meeting 191 



portion sloping, so that it is liable to wash. We sowed oats 

 at the last cultivation, and they grew from eight to twelve 

 inches high. While we do not get much plant -food from this 

 growth, we do get a little mulch, or. covering for the ground, 

 and we do not think it will wash verj' much with this pro- 

 tection. This growth will also hold the leaves as they fall 

 from the trees, adding so much more covering. 



The cow-pea would have given all this, with much more 

 nitrogen for the trees, but we used the oats as the next best 

 thing. In caring for our orchards, we must look after every 

 detail as the season advances. 



Thorough cultivation, continually stirring the soil the entire 

 season, is the keynote to success in orchard and general fruit 

 culture. This intensive cultivation means less money paid out 

 for fertilizers, especially the first few years of the trees' growth. 

 It makes a dust mulch that holds the moisture, and this will 

 work wondrous results in carrying our fruit through a dry 

 season like the one we had last year. 



The man who starts in to grow peaches for the market 

 must have a vast amount of courage; in fact, courage should 

 be a leading characteristic of any one who expects to be a 

 successful fruit-grower. It takes courage all along the line. 

 We must plant the trees, furnish abundance of cultivation and 

 plant -food for their best growth, and have courage enough to 

 thin the fruit when it covers the branches too thickly. In a 

 few words, I would say, to be successful in orchard culture, 

 especially the peach, feed the trees with plenty of plant -food. 

 For the first two or three years I would recommend drilling 

 in three rows of cow -peas between the rows of trees. The 

 growth from these will furnish a good supply of nitrogen. 

 Then, as the trees come into bearing, give a good supply of 

 ground bone and potash. Be sure and give thorough culture, 

 for upon this will depend largely how much the orchard will 

 return you in choice fruit. If you are fortunate enough to 

 have a good stand of fruit, do not be afraid to thin, for one 

 good, large, high-colored peach will bring more money than 

 one -half dozen small ones; then the large peach, practically 

 speaking, will not take any more vitality from the tree than 

 one of the small ones. You can always sell this large fruit 



