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Good drainage, natural or artificial, is fundamental 

 to the best welfare of the orchard. The need of drainage 

 may not be apparent while the trees are young, but as they 

 get older nriil the roots ;M-nf;t.;du '.ito poorly drained and 

 poorly aerated soil, the trees are dainaged and in rnaay 

 cases killed. 



In Walworth township, Wayne Co., 54 orchards, aggre- 

 gating 232 acres are reported as in need of drainage. The 

 average yield of these 54 orchards in 1902 was 203 bushels, 

 42 bushels below the average of the other orchtirds in the 

 township. 



Drainage is important for the following reasons: 



(1) Drainage removes the excess of water, thus 

 improvinp; the physical condition of the soil, making it 

 less compact and impei*viou8, and improving its tilth which 

 is important fter proper and intensive cultivation, 



(2) Drainage reduces winter injury, to the roots. 

 The freezing of large amounts of vrater in the roots cause 

 them to winter kill. 



(3) Drainage promotes proper air circulation 



in the soil which is necessary to the proper growth of be- 

 neficial soil organisms and hinders the growth of many un- 

 desirable organisms. This growth of soil bacteria is 

 very important since they are vitally related to the sup- 

 ply of plant food in the soil. It is through their action 

 that the organic matter in the soil is decomposed. 



