24 BULLETIN 162, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
seed. In this respect it behaves in this locality not unlike the 
unadapted peach varieties. 
Trees of the Spanish group in the Mexican seedling peach orchard 
are relatively resistant to the soil difficulties and give every: indica- 
tion of furnishing a better stock on which to work stone fruits than 
peaches of the unadapted type. This orchard is now being kept 
chiefly for the production of such seed, in order to supply desirable 
stocks for loca! peach plantings. 
SUGGESTIONS ON ORCHARD MANAGEMENT. 
Cultwation.—Orchard cultivation of all kinds around San Antonio 
without irrigation must necessarily be much more intensive than in 
Fic. 8.—Orchard cultivator used in the experimental orchards to establish a mulch and keep down 
weeds. Clean culture is absolutely necessary for successful fruit production in the San Antonio 
section. (Photographed July 12, 1912.) 
more favored sections because of the uneven distribution ef the rain- 
fall. Clean culture, especially when the trees have reached ‘the 
bearing stage, is absolutely essential, for all available moisture must 
be conserved. As much care must be given the orchard as is given 
cotton or corn, if successful results are te be obtained. The best 
method ef orchard culture, rigorously practiced at the San Antonio 
Field Station, 1s to keep a 3-inch or 4-inch earth mulch on the ground 
throughout the growing season. After every rain of any conse- 
quence, from early spring until fall, the orchards have been gone 
over, either with an orchard cultivator (fig. 8) or a spike-tooth 
harrow. If the orchard cultivator is equipped with sweeps to sup- 
plement the ordinary shovels and these sweeps are used when the 
