January, 1919.] SOD, TILLAGE AND FERTILIZERS. 9 



plots being only 15 per cent, but in addition we had rain or very 

 cloudy weather during practically the whole of the blooming 

 period, hence reducing the set of fruit still further. In 1918 

 our trees suffered so severely from the winter that the terminals 

 were nearly all killed, hence destroying the blossom buds and 

 reducing the crop materially when we had every evidence of a 

 maximum yield. This year again the first few plots were not 

 injured so severely. 



Thus in figuring the average yield per acre for the past ten 

 years it must be remembered that the location of this orchard is 

 not good and in a more favorable place we might expect the yield 

 to be at least double what it now is. Such an explanation seems 

 not only just but desirable before reviewing this work. 



Yield Under Sod and Tillage Methods. 



As indicated above the trees in the sod plot (Plot 1) have not 

 yielded sufficient fruit to justify the practice, although if there 

 were nothing to compare them with we might feel that they did 

 very well for the trees often yield a moderate crop. On the other 

 hand, the plot which has had clean cultivation (Plot 4) has re- 

 sponded remarkably well to tillage, and at the end of the ten- 

 year period this plot averages 94 per cent higher in yield than the 

 sod plot. The plot (Plot 5) which has been sown to a cover crop 

 annually averages 98 per cent greater in yield than the sod plot 

 and has made a good growth throughout the entire period. 



