36 MAKING HORTICULTURE PAY 



fluous branches and wayward growth sufficient to 

 admit proper amounts of air and sunshine. Many 

 branches marked for removal the second or third 

 season may very profitably be left until they have 

 borne fruit for several years. 



"Mice injuries are prevented by cleaning up all 

 rubbish in which mice might breed and congregate, 

 keeping the soil around the tree for 2 or 3 feet per- 

 fectly bare. Frequently a little mound of earth 6 

 or 8 inches high is piled and tramped solidly around 

 the base of the tree. So far as rabbit injuries are 

 concerned, the removal of all brush, briars, weeds, 

 etc., in which rabbits are most likely to congregate 

 has prevented any serious trouble with me." 



COVER CROPS FOR THE ORCHARD 



" Tillage burns out the humus and calls for a new 

 supply. It lets the air in, like opening the drafts 

 of a stove. The higher the state of cultivation," 

 writes Prof. G. F. Warren of the College of Agri- 

 culture of Cornell University, " the more humus 

 needed. We must supply this either in barnyard 

 manure or by cover crops. Manure is expensive, 

 cover crops are relatively cheap and may be made 

 to furnish the nitrogen and humus at the same 

 time. 



"We pay 15 to 20 cents a pound for nitrogen 

 when we get it in a fertilizer bag, but we can get 

 along very well without applying any if we plow 

 under clover. Occasionally the orchard may need 

 humus without additional nitrogen ; then we may 

 use rye, wheat, oats, buckwheat, or let the summer 

 grass and other weeds grow as a cover crop. Such 

 a condition does not often arise in practice, for few 

 soils are troubled with too much nitrogen. 



