CHAPTER VI 

 ESTABLISHING THE APPLE ORCHARD 



THOROUGH preparation of the land before planting is 

 exceedingly important if the apple orchard is to be well 

 established. Very often orchards are planted on pasture, 

 timbered, or sage-brush land where the soil has been un- 

 tilled. Timbered land, once cleared of stumps and brush, 

 usually lends itself well to early planting because of an 

 abundance of humus available for young trees. It is best 

 in nearly all cases, however, to anticipate planting by a 

 year or two in order thoroughly to subjugate the soil by 

 the growing of tilled or cover-crops. Soils which have 

 been depleted in fertility or which are low in humus-con- 

 tent may be built up by the growing of such legumes as 

 alfalfa or clover. In the case of arid or sage-brush lands 

 reclaimed for irrigation, the soil is usually low in humus- 

 content. In such instances the growing of alfalfa for one 

 or two seasons will usually repay the orchardist for delay 

 in planting. 



Deep plowing should precede planting in every case, 

 for once the trees are established, deep cultivation is likely 

 to injure the rooting system. Dynamiting is sometimes 

 recommended when a hardpan or thin stratum of rock 

 occurs near the surface, but ordinarily this practice is not 

 to be advised and such soils should be avoided. When 

 spring planting is to be employed, fall plowing is recom- 



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