500 TwENTY-FlEST BlENNIAL EfepOET 



and some even the extreme eastern states. They did not feel inclined 

 to give up an established business to develop a small orchard, so 

 tJiey entered into a con-fe-act with the selling company to plant and 

 care for their holdings for a period of years, usually from four to 

 five, at which age they were supposed to begin bearing. 



Until a few years ago it was the practice to give clean cultiva- 

 tion at least until the orchard reached the bearing age. The land 

 was usually broken in the spring, deep, and surface cultivation was 

 given throughout the growing season. In the well cultivated 

 orchards not a weed could be seen at the end of the cultivating sea- 

 son. This practice produced an enormous wood growth and made a 

 fine appearing orchard. It was practiced especially by develop- 

 ment companies who were selling orchard land, and the orchards 

 given this care certainly presented an appearance that would tend 

 to separate the uninitiated from his money. 



Many of the growers, at the present time, are not giving clean 

 cultivation exclusively. If they cultivate at all it is only during the 

 growing season, and at the last cultivation a cover crop is sown to 

 protect the soil during the winter and provide humus to be turned 

 under in the spring. From the orchards I have seen in the middle 

 M^est I hardly think it necessary to say anything against clean cul- 

 tivation as it does not seem to be practiced at all. 



There are two or three methods of cultivation in vogue now, 

 some of them modifications of the clean culture method. If the 

 orchard at the time it is planted is especially rich in humus it may 

 be given clean cultivation during the growing season, for a year or 

 two, without serious injury even if no cover crop is sown. Cover 

 crops are then sown and. turned under and a little later nurse crops 

 are planted. These are mowed and left to rot and mulch the ground 

 and the orchard receives no cultivation at all. Where there is 

 plenty of water available for irrigation this practice is very success- 

 ful. Where there is not an abimdant supply, in order to have enough 

 laoisture to mature the fruit, it seems to be necessary to cultivate 

 during at least a portion of the growing season. 



Much more attention is given to pruning in the northwest than 

 is the custom in any other orchard section. Most of the trees are 

 pruned to what is known as the vase or inverted cone shape and 

 practically all are headed low — from twelve to twenty inches above 

 the ground. Even in the bearing orchard, much more severe prun- 

 ing is practiced than is the^^j'ase in this section. Trees are never 

 allowed to form such dense heads that the sunshine cannot get ia 

 and color up the fruit. I am convinced that one reason fruit is 

 not more highly colored here is because of the dense heads. To secure 

 red apples it is absolutely necessary that they be exposed to the 

 bright sunliglit. 



