FRUIT GROWING 131 



Equipment Required. 



The equipment required for successful fruit growing in- 

 cludes suitable soil and exposure, tools for the cultiva- 

 tion of the soil, saws and shears for pruning, ladders for 

 gathering the fruit, space for preparing the fruit for 

 market and storing until sold. A spraying outfit is also 

 needed in every section of the country to protect our 

 crops from insects and fungous pests. 



Soil. In most sections of the Eastern United States, 

 only small areas of one kind of soil may be found. The 

 land is so tumbled about that we may find clay, loam, 

 sandy or gravelly soil, some with slopes in every direc- 

 tion, so that suitable land in small areas for any of the 

 hardy fruits may be found in almost every direction. 



Plows. For working the land a large plow for break- 

 ing up and a small one for working in among the trees 

 and small fruits are needed. If the fruit plantations are 

 small several owners may unite and own one sulky or 

 other kind of large plow. 



Harrows. Much labor is saved in fitting and work- 

 ing the land among trees by the use of harrows. The 

 ordinary wheel, shears, or 'spring-tooth harrows will do 

 good work around trees while small, but when the 

 branches spread and droop to the ground a special 

 form of harrow, in which the blades are spread apart, 

 must be used. This enables the horses to go outside 

 the branches while the harrow hugs in under them. 



Cultivators. Most of the harrows in use are made for 

 two horses, but as one horse can generally do all the 

 work on a small fruit plantation, the cultivator becomes 

 the chief implement for working the soil between the 

 trees and among small fruits. Many of these tools are 

 provided with several kinds of teeth, wings and other 

 combinations, like the Planet Jr., Iron Age, etc. The 



