42 



We have heard many people say that grass and weeds con- 

 serve moisture in soil, and insist on its being so. They state 

 truly that if you take a very weedy piece of land, and on a very 

 hot day pull out weeds, you will find the surface nice and moist. 

 Quite right, it is just as stated, but the presence of the growing 

 weeds acts as a mulch for the immediate surface; but at the 

 same time if you test the amount of moisture contained in a 

 square foot of soil, say 12 inches below the surface after a 

 month's absence of rain, the most sceptical will be satisfied. 



The evaporation going on every day through the leaves of 

 a ten-years-old fruit tree is something enormous, showing how 

 foolish it is to state that trees will grow without water unless it 

 has been proved by the orchardist having actually done it by 

 employing the system of thorough cultivation in the dry weather, 

 or by recognising the presence of conditions such as are de- 

 scribed herein under the head of " Orchard Irrigation." 



In the parts of Africa where a winter rainfall is received, 

 we consider that a ploughing when there is an opportunity dur- 

 ing the rain, and another cross ploughing towards the latter end 

 of the rainy season, is enough, this to be followed by the 

 necessary harrowing and bi- fortnightly cultivation up to the end 

 of December ; we do not consider continued cultivation necessary 

 after this date unless in the case of late fruit. In the parts 

 of the country where a summer fall is received, we should say 

 reverse the order of things. You cannot, of course, as any 

 practical farmer knows, get on your land a plough or work it 

 in any way when it is in a wet condition ; nothing will sooner 

 tend to make it infertile, but when you can get on to it get the 

 weeds under, and after the rains are over keep the cultivator 

 going, as it is quite necessary for growers who have summer 

 rain to retain enough moisture in the soil to give the tree the 

 necessary start the following spring, and hold it healthy until the 

 advent of the earlv summer rain. 



ORCHARD IMPROVEMENT. 



(By Leonard Coates, of California). 



" The soil in which most trees have been planted is good, and 

 often very rich, and to this, with the sunny climate, may be 

 attributed the fact that many orchards look as well as they do, 

 rather than to any great care or skill on the part of the orchard- 

 ist." So observes Leonard Coates in the San Jose Mercury, and 

 he continues: "Given a stronger tree and a healthier root, the 

 btid taken from the most perfect specimen, and the result would 

 have been comparatively better. 



