CHAPTER XIV 

 SOD CULTURE VERSUS TILLAGE 



Orchardists who advocate sod culture, sod mulch, and the like 

 — terms used to denote that an orchard is " seeded down " — do 

 not in all cases agree as to just what further conditions should 

 obtain. Some claim that the sod in the orchard should be of the 

 old pasture type, with little or no annual growth, while others. advo- 

 cate a heavy growth of grass, all claiming that the grass should be 

 cut and allowed to lie where it falls. Others want the cut grass 

 raked up and piled under the spread of the branches. Still others 

 advocate that some material such as coarse manure, straw, corn- 

 stalks, etc. be added to the cut grass. Some would like to have 

 the sod used for pasturage — one approving of sheep in the 

 orchard, another of cows and perhaps hogs. It is therefore dif- 

 ficult to decide upon one system of sod culture that will please all. 



There are certain conditions under which any form of sod cul- 

 ture may succeed. In England and other countries where abun- 

 dance of moisture in the form of rain is available, any system would 

 undoubtedly prove successful, and in New England and some other 

 parts of North America where the rainfall is large, some form 

 of the system might prove satisfactory. However, in all sections 

 there are doubtless some locations which would give more satis- 

 faction than others. Then, too, the variety of the tree grown or 

 the modification of the system used may make the difference 

 between profit and loss. 



It is gratifying to know that experiments in the comparison of 

 the sod method and the modern clean-culture method are being 

 carried on under the direction of some of the state experiment 

 stations. Ohio seems to have been the leader in this movement, 

 one well-known grower in that state being highly successful in 

 growing apples under the (sod or grass-mulch) system. New York 

 also has furnished a noteworthy example of the successful working 



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