16 REPORT ON THE Xo. 33 



ing. There are other reasons, however, why low-headed trees are preferable; in exposed 

 locations the trees and crop are less likely to suffer from violent winds, and in northern 

 localities the trees with short trunks and low-spreading branches are much less subject 

 to injury from sun scald, the most serious tree trouble of the north. It is better for 

 the planter to get two-year old rather than three or four-year old trees, so that he can 

 start the head at whatever height he wishes. In this connection it may be stated that 

 tree trunks do not lengthen, except by pruning off the lower branches, so that at what- 

 ever distance from the ground the lower branches are left, that will be the permanent 

 length of the trunk. 



Three branches are enough to leave to form the main limbs or framework of the 

 tree top. These should be evenly spaced around the trunk to give a well-balanced and 

 symmetrical top, and they should also be placed on the trunk so as to distribute evenly 

 the weight of the top and avoid bad crotches which are liable to split down with the 

 weight of the crop. It is particularly important at this stage that great care should be 

 taken to train the young tree in the way it should go, and much can be done in training 

 and directing growth by heading back to buds pointing in the direction we wish the new 

 branch to take. 



CAKE OF THE ORCHARD AFTER PLANTING. 



In a newly-planted orchard the trees occupy but a small portion of the land, and 

 they cannot be expected to give any returns for at least five or six years. It is advis- 

 able, therefore, that some other crop be grown in the orchard which will pay for the 

 labor spent upon it till the apple trees come into bearing and require all the space. It 

 is by injudicious cropping, however, that young orchards are often most seriously in- 

 jured. It should not be forgotten that the apple trees are the first consideration, and 

 that whatever cropping is done in the orchard must not interfere with them in the least. 

 In some cases the spaces between the trees may be planted with small fruits, such 

 as raspberries, currants, or gooseberries, but these should not be planted within nine 

 or ten feet of the tree, nor should they occupy ground more than six or seven years. 

 If fillers are used in the orchard intercropping should be discontinued in four or five 

 years. 



Hoe crops, such as corn, roots, potatoes, etc., have generally been recommended as 

 the best to grow in the orchard, because of the opportunity they afford for cultivation. 

 This may be all right as far as it goes, but these crops draw heavily upon the plant 

 food in the soil and return very little in the way of roots or plant residue. If such 

 crops are successively grown for several years, they are almost sure to seriously deplete 

 the soil fertility, unless extra care is taken to maintain it by the application of manure 

 or fertilizer. Probably on the whole the least objectionable cropping is a well arranged 

 rotation of crops, in which clover and hoed crops alternate frequently enough to keep 

 the ground in good condition. Some of these crops harbor mice, and whenever such 

 occur in the rotation precautions must be taken at the approach of winter to protect 

 the trees from their ravages. 



During all this intercropping a strip in which the trees are growing must be left 

 for regular cultivation, and this strip should be widened each year as the trees increase 

 in size. No cropping should be attempted under the head of the trees, and intercropping 

 should be discontinued as soon as the trees require all the space. 



CTJI/TIVATIOX. 



Cultivation improves the physical condition of the soil by breaking up the soil 

 particles and presenting a greater feeding surface to the roots. By warming and 

 deepening the soil, it permits of a greater depth of feeding area. Every soil particle 

 is surrounded by a thin film of moisture, consequently the finer the soil particles the 

 greater the surface area to hold moisture. A dry earth mulch or dust blanket on top 



