Orchard Tillage * 43 



Where strawberries arc grown between young trees 

 they will occupy the ground for at least three years, after 

 which time they should be plowed under, and the land 

 planted to clover or some other legume. This is for the 

 purpose of restoring nitrogen to the soil and stimulating 

 the wood growth of the trees. Where corn, cotton or 

 other "hoed" crop is grown, the land will be occupied by 

 any one crop no longer than one year. It is considered 

 to be the best practice not to plant the same kind of crop 

 in the orchard for more than two years in succession. In 

 fact soil experts will advise that any particular crop occupy 

 the land but one year and then be followed by a crop of 

 a different sort. This is because the soil quickly becomes 

 impoverished where one kind of crop is repeatedly grown 

 on the same area. In the young orchard this is especially 

 true, as the trees are to remain for many years and the 

 soil's fertility must not be reduced. A good rotation of 

 crops in a young orchard is to plant cotton or corn the 

 first season and follow with potatoes the next year, fol- 

 lowing it the next season with a legume of some kind. 



Vegetables of all kinds may be grown in a young or- 

 chard in place of the crops mentioned, and will serve well 

 in keeping the ground of the orchard well stirred and the 

 trees growing thriftily. Sugar beets are extensively used 

 in the irrigated districts, but are not always desirable be- 

 cause of the late watering that is needed to get the beets 

 to mature. This late watering induces late growth in the 

 trees and makes them liable to winter killing. 



Under no condition should small grain be planted in an 

 orchard, as it will not permit of cultivation, and cultiva- 

 tion is necessary in a young orchard for reasons which 

 have been mentioned. This statement applies to the grow- 

 ing of a grain crop that is to be allowed to reach maturity 

 and be harvested either as grain or hay. Rye, wheat, oats 

 and buckwheat are frequently planted in an orchard, but 

 they are used altogether for green manures and under 

 the best systems of culture are not allowed to remain for 

 more than a few weeks, or over winter at the longest. 



In plowing the ground in a young orchard, the plows 

 should be run six or eight inches deep, so as to provide a 



