30 New Hampshire Experimext Station [Bulletiu 223 



Nine-hundrcd-twouty-seven reports were iiuule on the sj-stem of 

 orchard eultuio used. This means, of course, that a number of men 

 are usinji more than one system of orchard soil management. Sod and 

 mulch orchards formed by far the larger i)roi)ortion, the two making 

 a little over 76 jier cent of the total. Cultivation, in most cases in- 

 cluding i)roduction of some kind of intercrop, is i)robably practiced in 

 43 commercial orchards, or nearly 5 per cent of the total, while 173 or- 

 chardists, or a little less than 19 i)er cent, use culti\ation with some 

 form of co\er crop which is plowed imder. 



Two-hundred and ninety-six orchanlists, or about 32 i>er cent of tlie 

 total, indicate that their sod orchards are nuilched, meaning that they 

 leave at least the grass which grows in the orchard. Some of the bet- 

 ter growers are known to supply additional mulch if it can be obtained 

 without exce.ssive cost from adjoining meadows. The replies would 

 indicate that the hay is removed from -a large number of orchards. 

 There is reason to believe that the remo\'al of hay is practiced mostly 

 in small orchards, and the proportion of the crop affected is not as 

 large as the number of growei's might lead one to think. It is a poor 

 practice, although it is not as bad if sufficient organic matter is iv- 

 turned as stable maniu'e. It is ])robable also that the growers in 

 replying to the questions did not distinguish clearly between sod and 

 sod mulch culture. 



In some sections it is only the negligent fruit growers who maintain 

 the orchards in sod. In New Hampshire it has been demonstrated that 

 sod culture with the use of approi)riate fertilizers is a i)erfectly satis- 

 factory method of orchard soil management. The use of this method 

 has made it jiossible to dcxeloji orchards on very cheap, I'ocky pasture 

 lands which cannot be plowed and which otherwise could jn'oduce 

 little or nothing of value. In this instance, therefore, sod culture is 

 not an indication of poor orchard management. 



Of those who culti\ate crops between their trees, and this i)re.sumably 

 applies wholly to young orchards, 32 report that they u.se corn. IS 



PERCENT OF CROP 



20 30 



Country Buyer 

 Wboles».ler 

 On Com. i49ion 

 To R.el».iler 

 To Consurner 

 To Cb-nner 

 TKrooqbCoopsralives 

 To Peddler 



TWrooqVi FArr7?€r^ 

 Market 



FICUKK 8. Methods of sale iu New 

 Hampshire commercial orchards, 1924. 



