THE YEAR'S CULTIVATION OF ORCHARDS 



331 



weeds. Other tillage implements, such as the acme spike-tooth 

 and spring tooth harrows may be used at short intervals after the 

 first plowing and disking (Figs. 

 236 and 237). 



By midsummer it is usually best 

 to stop tillage. This will allow the 

 trees to stop growing and ripen 

 their wood and form the bud 

 scales for winter protection. They 

 are then less likely to be injured 

 by winter freezing. 



A part of the annual tillage 

 should include the sowing of the 

 winter cover crop at the time 

 when the cultivation ceases. The 

 seed may be sown just before or 

 just after the last cultivation. A good cover crop mixture is one 

 bushel of rye, one peck of winter vetch, and one-half peck of 



Fig. 234. — A common disk harrow may 

 be attached to the ends of an extension 

 bar to cultivate under orchard trees. 

 (New Jersey Station.) 



Fig. 235. — The cutaway disk harrow is well adapted to pulverizing the surface soil and 



Sreparing a seed bed for gardens. Smooth edged disks give similar results. They may 

 e used together as here shown with truck or forecarriage or they may be arranged for 

 use separately. In clean-culture orchard work the disk harrow may be used for most of 

 the summer tillage after the spring plowing. Soil may also be disked for the sowing of a 

 over crop in late summer or early fall. (Weir's Productive Soils.) 



