Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands. 1 45 



pose of cultivation may be to develop a plant, 

 or a portion of a plant. The operation may 

 vary accordingly. For instance, we cultivate 

 for leaf growth in the tobacco plant, and all 

 efforts are directed toward the growing of the 

 plant in such a way as to develop the leaf. In 

 the rhubarb and celery we want the leaf stem, 

 asparagus the leaf stalk; while in our pot plants 

 we want blossoms, so we bend our energies in 

 that direction. But in the care of the orchard 

 it is necessary not only to grow the plants 

 strong and healthy with their leaves, stems and 

 blossoms, but the final purpose of all care and 

 cultivation is the ripened fruit. In short, we 

 care for and cultivate in order that our plants 

 may be able to make the greatest development 

 along the particular lines for which they are 

 being grown. 



Growing Plants.— In the care and cultiva- 

 tion of the orchard we must consider the im- 

 portant work of growing plants from various 

 standpoints. For as has already been said, the 

 purposes for which they are grown vary widely. 

 Some times plants are grown in order to protect 

 or develop others. This is done when we grow 

 a cover crop for the purpose of shading the 

 ground from the scorching sun, or that they 

 may serve as soil binders by keeping the soil 



