25 



better than if permanently under grass 

 •or even if cultivated all the year round. 

 Weeds are suppressed, the soil enriched 

 in humus and so improved in condition, 

 and the washing out of nitrates by the 

 winter rains is prevented. Indeed, if the 

 crop selected is of the leguminous order, 

 the soil is actually (enriched in nitrogen 

 gathercHl from the air. It is found that 

 this system obviates the need for farm- 

 j'ard manure, and this is where the 

 economy lies. Apart from this, the plan 

 must be expensive, because of the labour 

 involved; and it does not save the usual 

 hoeing and cultivation in spring and early 

 summer. However, it is worthy of a trial in 

 this country, for I have not heard of its 

 being attempted. It should appeal chiefly 



nitrogen by growing cover crops. It 

 should be noted, however, that nitrogen 

 and humus are the only plant foods pro- 

 vided in this way, so that the occasional 

 use of phosphatic and potassic fertilisers 

 is necessary. 



CuAKS Orchards. 

 A good many growers have found an 

 easy escape from the expense of cultivat- 

 ing their orchards by letting them fall 

 down to grass and weeds. This plan can- 

 not be supported; but there is less objec- 

 tion to the deliberate sowing of the land 

 with permanent pasture seeds. Sometimes 

 this has the effect of throwing an orchard 

 into fruit when it is making too vigorous 

 growth. It should, however, never be) 

 attempted whilst the trees are young, par- 



♦♦fci-, 



Garrett's Cultivator.— Manufactured by Weeks and Son, Ltd., Maidsiotie. 



to those who have a difficulty in obtaining 

 farmyard or other organic manures. The 

 choice of cover crops is to some extent a 

 local matter, for it is best to select a crop 

 known to do well in the district. Vetches, 

 trifolium and other clovers, sainfoin, mus- 

 tard, rape and white turnip are all pos- 

 sible, and in America various field peas 

 and beans are used as well. Generally a 

 leguminous subject is to be preferred, on 

 account of the nitrogen it brings to the 

 soil; but if the trees are already growing 

 too much and fruiting too little, these 

 should be avoided in favour of a non- 

 leguminous crop like mustard or turnips, 

 for it is easy to make the soil too rich in 



ticularly if they are apples, as it has been 

 proved that hardly any treatment has such 

 a stunting effect on young trees as allow- 

 ing turf to grow close up to the stems. 

 Once the trees are full grown, however, 

 grassing the land often does no harm, as 

 witness many fine grass orchards in Kent 

 and in the West of England. If the trees 

 are standards the herbage can be grazed 

 off by stock and if the animals are receiv- 

 ing cake at the same time the land is im- 

 proved. In such a case the saving in 

 labour is obvious and the value of the 

 stock is an additional gain. On the other 

 hand, it must be expected that the trees 

 will suffer more during prolonged drought 



