31 



decided by itself; it is altogether relative, and is to be settled only 

 with reference to the system of management which is to be adopted 

 in the orchard. 



Cultivation. 



There has been some argument in the last few years as to the best 

 systems of managing apple orchards, some respectable fruit growers 

 maintaining that the best practice recjuired the trees to be kept in 

 sod. Practically nobody recommends sod management for peach 

 orchards, however. While there are isolated instances of successful 

 peach trees standing in grass, they are so rare as to be negligible. The 

 peach tree is a gross feeder, a rank grower, and re(|uires large quanti- 

 ties of plant food and moisture to develop its fruit crop. These re- 

 cjuirements are best met by a system which introduces thorough cul- 

 tivation during the period of growth. 



There are many systems of culture, differing more or less widely 

 from one another, but an ideal system presents about three stages, 

 as follows: (1) a reasonably thorough plowing of land early in the 

 spring; (2) frequent surface cultivation up until midsummer; (3) 

 the growing of a cover crop, which remains on over winter and is 

 plowed under the following spring. 



The first cultivation in the spring has been spoken of as plowing. 

 It may, in fact, be accomplished with a good plow, a steady team 

 and a good driver. After the centers have been plowed out between 

 the rows, it is possible to get somewhat nearer the trees by the use 

 of a one-horse plow. However, on most lands and under most cir- 

 cumstances the best implement for the spring plowing is a good, 

 sharp spading harrow; even a disk harrow will do very well on light 

 .soils. If this implement has the convenient extension now provided 

 by most manufacturers, it becomes very easy to run up close to the 

 trunks of the trees. In using the disk or spading harrow, it is best 

 to go across the land in both directions. This may be necessary also 

 with the plow, although it is not so conveniently done. 



The summer cultivation should be given with much lightcM- tools 

 ruiniing only on the surface of the soil. A light, sharj) smoothing 

 harrow is best of all where the ground is mellow and in good condi- 

 tion. The Acme harrow is also excellent for this kind of work. On 

 gravelly or somewhat stony soils the springtooth harrow is best of 

 all. Again, if the soil is inclined to bake or is naturally hard, the best 

 results can be secured with the disk harrow. This summer cultiva- 

 tion should be frequent; it should be gi\'en at intervals not greater 

 than ten days; once a week is still better. The drier the weather, 

 the more frequent should be the cultivation. It is a great mistake 

 to time this work by the growth of weeds. This summer cultivation 

 is not intended to keep down weeds, but to conserve moisture and 

 promote the liberation of plant food. 



The vigorous growth of the trees ceases about .July 1; thereafter 

 the wood ripens and the fruit buds mature for the following year. If 



