FOOD FOR PLANTS 137 



that is, a crop which does not require stirring of the 

 soil after August — for the young trees make their 

 growth early in the season and from August on are 

 maturing their wood and getting ready for the 

 winter. 



In any scheme of intercropping, a certain portion 

 of the land should be reserved for the exclusive use 

 of the trees — no less than eight feet along each side 

 of each row of trees when young — and as the trees 

 grow this area should be increased. The annual crop 

 should receive its own fertilization, in order not to 

 draw from the food supply of the young trees. 



Where the winters are not too severe, planting in 

 the fall is desirable, since this enables the trees to 

 become established and get a quick start in the spring. 

 In the northern regions spring planting is advised. 



After setting, the tree is "headed back" in order to 

 give it a balanced top. One-year-old trees are usu- 

 ally cut back to 24 inches. 



Cultivation. 



Three methods of cultivation may be followed: 

 clean culture, tillage cover-crop culture, and sod- 

 mulch culture. The two latter are generally ac- 

 cepted as the best methods under the average con- 

 ditions, but the sod-mulch is preferable for hilly 

 sections. Clean culture should be practiced first, two 

 or three years after which the orchard may be thrown 

 into permanent sod, or the system of tillage with 

 cover-cropping may be followed. In the tillage and 

 cover-cropping system, the orchard should be plowed 

 in the spring and cultivated at intervals until July 



