ORCHARD CULTIVATION 6l 



proper harness, steady horses, and, above all, some ex- 

 perience on the part of the workman, will make a very 

 satisfactory cultivation possible at no serious expense. 



Those who have not tested it are apt to think that 

 close planting and low heading of orchard trees, both 

 of which are recommended in this book, will interfere 

 seriously with the operations of plow, cultivator and 

 harrow. Where proper heading of the trees, proper 

 pruning and proper cultivation, go forward together 

 from the establishment of the plantation no difficulty 

 whatever arises. The failures with this system of com- 

 bined close planting, low heading and frequent culti- 

 vation come from improper adjustment of one part of 

 the system to the other parts, or they come oftener 

 still from a slack enforcement of the system. This 

 method of fruit growing is not adapted to careless 

 handling. It is in many respects a forced system — a 

 high-pressure system. If the manager relaxes the 

 pressure temporarily, if he lets go for a time at any 

 point, he loses control, and the whole machinery is 

 thrown out of order. If pruning is neglected for a 

 year or two the trees get too big and sprawling. If 

 cultivation is stopped for a time the roots occupy the 

 soil and get in the way of future plowings. The whole 

 scheme must be thoroughly understood and conscien- 

 tiously practiced from the start. Then it succeeds ad- 

 mirably. 



The cultural methods suited to young orchards may 

 be applied, with obvious modifications, to old orchards, 

 providing, as explained above, the old orchard has 

 been properly brought up on the same general system. 

 The soil should be plowed in early spring as soon as 

 it can be properly done. Deep diggi'ig with a spading 

 harrow may be substituted for plowing in many cases. 



