IMPROVING THE SOIL 49 
coarse before being ploughed in. If it gets too heavy in 
bulk, it will be too long in decaying, and instead of hold- 
ing the moisture round the roots for the trees’ advantage, 
it will use up the moisture itself, and so rob the tree. 
It may be said generally of British Columbia orchard 
soils that they possess plenty of natural fertility, but 
require to have the soil worked so as to bring it into a 
fit mechanical condition for releasing the elements of 
fertility contained. This is best accomplished by the 
methods I have just outlined—diligent surface cultiva- 
tion during the summer, followed by a cover crop in the 
fall, and the ploughing in of the cover crop in the spring. 
This will not only store up a sufficient supply of plant 
food, but will prepare that plant food in such a way as 
the tree can most readily and most easily absorb it. 
For the sake of completeness, it ought to be stated 
that some authorities recommend clean cultivation 
throughout the year. Where it is possible to obtain a 
sufficient supply of farmyard manure, that system may 
with advantage be followed. But where that class of 
manure cannot be conveniently obtained in sufficient 
quantity, and this is generally the case on the small 
holdings throughout British Columbia, the best method 
of applying fertilizers to the soil is by means of the cover 
crop of clover, alfalfa, or vetches, ploughed in periodically 
in spring. If that is done whenever the trees require it, 
there is no need to apply artificial or chemical manures. 
The system of clean cultivation during the summer, 
followed by a cover crop in the fall and winter, will not 
only keep right the texture and quality of the soil, but 
will give the trees all the fertilizing agents they want. 
7 
