CHAPTER VII 



PREPARING LAND FOR AN ORCHARD 



Plowing. If trees are to be planted in the spring, it may be of 

 some advantage to plow the land in the fall, for the fall-plowed 

 soil dries out more quickly, thereby advancing the season of 

 harrowing, and thus making it possible to commence the spring 

 planting earlier. When it is realized that the growth of the apple 

 tree may begin earlier in the spring than is usually supposed, and 

 that during July the normal season for the maturity of wood begins, 

 it will readily be seen that fall plowing and early fitting of the soil 

 help the trees in their first year of permanency to become more 

 fully developed during their natural season of growth. Spring 

 plowing, on the other hand, offers the great advantage of allowing 

 a cover crop to be grown on the land during the winter, thereby 

 checking the great loss by erosion. This crop is plowed under in 

 the spring, and is beneficial in several ways, especially in improving 

 the physical condition of the soil. 



There are many plows offered for sale from which the orchardist 

 may select one or more that will meet the requirements of his 

 particular case. Many men prefer the common landside plow with 

 a long point and rather sharp moldboard. A plow of this type 

 turns the soil in good style, laying each furrow slice upon the edge 

 of the preceding furrow, and has a tendency to break up somewhat 

 the furrow as turned. Some prefer a plow similar to this, but with 

 a shorter point and a less abrupt moldboard. 



Where the orchard site is a hillside the plow often selected is 

 the walking hillside, or swivel, plow. This is made with a mold- 

 board and point that can be swung in such a way as to give either 

 a left-hand or a right-hand plow. This permits plowing back and 

 forth across the land, furrow after furrow in order, with all the 

 furrows turned the same way. 



The riding reversible sulky plow offers the same advantages as 

 the walking hillside plow, at the same time permitting the operator 



