ORCHARD MANAGEMENT. 117 



California and in all fruit-growing centres. But a change 

 in belief is now apparent in all sections. In section (19) 

 the subject of shading of orchard soils and the use of 

 cover-crops are discussed. In this connection the com- 

 bined system of culture and soil-shading will be noted. 

 The orchard culture should begin early in the season. 

 Early culture helps in saving the spring moisture and to 

 start growth actively. The entire growth of the season 

 of fruit trees is made early in the season. Hardy northern 

 trees finish growth by the first of July and in the prairie 

 States earlier. All cover- and catch-crops should be 

 turned under in the spring as soon as the soil is in fair 

 working condition. Some advise running the plough four 

 or five inches deep, but a far better rule is to plough only 

 deep enough to permit turning a flat furrow with levelling 

 after culture. 



The early culture answers the purpose of advancing 

 growth and starting the fruit crop, and the after cover- 

 crop is an advantage in shading the soil, permitting the 

 nitrogen-feeding root-hairs to come near to the surface as 

 an aid to fruit ripening and the perfect maturing of the 

 cell -structure of the tree. 



While the orchard is young and the supply of plant- 

 food and humus yet ample, buckwheat answers well the 

 conditions for keeping the soil shaded and relatively cool 

 and moist. It covers the ground much earlier than any 

 of the legumes, and is easier to turn under in the spring. 

 If one half of a young orchard is sown annually to buck- 

 wheat about the first of July and the other half 'is culti- 

 vated, the owner will discover in a short time a surprising 

 comparative thrift and vigor of growth on the buckwheat 

 portion and also an increase of yield and increased size 

 and smoothness of fruit. As the orchard attains greater 

 age hairy vetch has proven best for a cover-crop in the 



