April, 1913] THE EEJUNEVATION OF OLD OECHAEDS 43 



SOIL IMPROVEMENT. Coincident with the care of the trees should 

 come the improvement of the soil. If the orchard is not too steep, 

 the soil should be plowed, running the plow as shallowly as possible 

 so as not to break too many of the large roots which in an unculti- 

 vated orchard always lie near the surface. After the plow should 

 come the harrow, working the surface into a fine friable condition. 

 This cultivation should be repeated after each heavy rain to break 

 the crust that would form. In this manner the soil moisture is 

 conserved, for the fine dust mulch formed prevents its evaporation. 

 This clean cultivation should continue until about August 1st 

 when a cover crop of clover, cow-peas, soy beans, or even rye, should 

 be planted to check the growth of the trees, ripen up wood, buds 

 and fruit and form a cover for the bare ground during the 

 winter. The following spring the crop is plowed under and forms 

 a valuable source of plant food, particularly if it is one of the 

 clovers, beans or peas. The mere act of cultivation also liberates 

 plant food heretofore locked up in the soil. 



If the land is too steep to allow of cultivation with safety, the 

 next thing is to cover the soil with a mulch of barnyard manure, 

 straw or other litter. This prevents the loss of moisture and pro- 

 vides nourishment as well, but is more expensive than cultivation. 

 On some soils, deep, rich and well watered, the normal growth from 

 the sod if cut twice during the season and allowed to lie on the 

 ground, will furnish mulch enough. 



FERTILIZERS. Most neglected orchards will respond to the liberal 

 use of manure or commerical fertilizers for the first few years until 

 they regain their health and vigor. If manure is used, from ten 

 to fifteen tons is a fair application per acre. This should not be 

 piled about the base of the tree where there are no feeding roots, 

 but it should be spread evenly over the whole surface of the ground. 

 If commerical fertilizer is used, it should be of some high grade 

 goods like a 3-10-8 (3% nitrogen, 10%, phosphoric acid, and 8 per 

 cent potash.) This should be used at the rate of 300 to 500 pounds 

 per acre. Better yet would it be to buy the separate chemicals and 

 apply a home mixed product. In this case one should mix together 

 for an acre 80 pounds of Nitrate of Soda, 250 pounds of Acid Phos- 

 phate and 70 pounds of Muriate or Sulphate of Potash. The ferti- 

 lizer should be applied as soon after the leaves unfold in the spring 

 as possible. 



TOP WORKING. It frequently happens that several trees in the 



