162 THE PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE 



the trees or bushes tend to grow too fast, so that 

 they do not bear, or become top-heavy, or do not 

 stand the winter, they may be checked by put- 

 ting the plantation in sod ; but even then, the 

 sod is only a temporary expedient. If the man- 

 agement of the plantation has been right, it is 

 doubtful if sod can ever be an advantage, — or at 

 least with none of the common fruits, except 

 possibly apples and pears. 



275. All fruit j)lants start into growth very 

 early in the season. Therefore, tillage should be 

 begun the moment the ground is fit -. and it 

 should be continued unremittingly until the time 

 arrives for all tillage to cease. 



276. The growth on fruit plants generally 

 ceases by midsummer. Therefore, tillage may 

 stop at midseason or early fall ; and at the last 

 tillage a cover-crop may be sown (109, 114, 116). 

 Stopping the tillage early allows the plants to 

 mature their gro"s,th, and thereby be more likely 

 to escape winter injury ; and it lessens the dan- 

 ger of overgrowth. If the trees are carrying a 

 heavy crop, however, it may be necessary to 

 continue the tillage in order to supply the fruit 

 with moisture, especially if the land or the 

 season is dry. 



277. The tillage of fruit-plantations usually 

 consists of a spring plowing, followed by har- 

 rowing. If the land has been well handled in 



