266 
use of fillers is that nothing shall be 
employed for the purpose which is more 
vigorous 1n growth than the permanent 
trees, and that the removal of fillers shall 
pe begun aS soon as there is evidence of 
crowding. 
Apple Trees the Best Fillers in an 
Apple Orchard 
The best fillers in an apple orchard 
are apple trees which are upright in habit 
of growth and begin to bear at an early 
age. Those of a spreading habit may be 
used if precocious The first class is ex- 
amplified by the Yellow Transparent and 
Wagener, which may be planted in the 
rows, both ways between the permanent 
trees. Oldenburg (Duchess) and Wealthy 
may be used, with some caution, in the 
same manner. Jonathan, Ben Davis and 
Gano are suitable to plant in the centers 
of the squares between the permanent 
trees. 
W. J. GREEN, 
Wooster, Ohio 
Intercropping in New Mexico 
The mixing of apple and peach trees in 
an orchard is sometimes advocated, but 
in this climate it is not considered advis- 
able. Whenever peaches are planted be- 
tween apple trees it is done with the ex- 
pectation of taking the peach trees out 
whenever they become so large that they 
interfere with the growth of the apple 
trees. If this were done there would be 
no objection whatever to this method of 
planting orchards, but as a rule the idea 
is never carried out and the result is that 
the peach trees are never cut out until 
they either die out or have injured the 
apple trees by crowding them out. Very 
frequently by the time the peach trees 
are large enough to interfere with the 
growth of the apple trees they are pro- 
ducing their very best crops, and the or- 
chardist has not the strong heart to go to 
work and dig them out at that time. Tak- 
ing everything into consideration peach 
trees ought not to be planted among apple 
trees. 
PABIAN GARCIA, 
Santa Fe, N M 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
HOW TO MAKE AN ORCHARD pay 
BEFORE IT COMES INTO BEARING 
By A. G. Craic 
Deer Park, Washington 
It is very seldom that an apple oichard 
will yield a crop large enough to net a 
profit above the expense of the care and 
harvesting before the orchard 1s six vears 
old. During these six years the orchard 
is a constant drain on the finances of the 
owner, and the interest on the original 
investment for six years is a large item 
The average person starting into apple 
growing has the above facts staring him 
in the face, andthis problem of how to 
meet the expenses and at the same time 
make a living for himself and family has 
to be solved. The problem of improving 
the soil or at least maintaining its fer 
tility must also be considered 
The clean culture method has been ad 
vocated and extensively practiced in the 
Northwest, but a large percentage of the 
fruit growers now realize that it is ex- 
pensive and the physical condition of the 
soil becomes impaired in a few years He 
also knows: 
(1) That the roots of apple trees 
spread very rapidly, but when not more 
than eighty-five trees are planted to the 
acre it takes several years for all of the 
soil to ke filled with apple roots 
(2) That a good farmer improves his 
soil and at the same time gets a good 
profit out of it, and 
(3) That a field allowed to lie idle and 
grow up to weeds and bushes for a period 
of years deteriorates in value 
With the above problems and facts be- 
fore the grower, he seeks for the best 
solutions. He says, Why not utilize the 
land not occupied by trees by using the 
methods of the good farmer who grows 
crops and at the same time improves the 
soil. He hesitates to try because so many 
have not succeeded. The crops have not 
been profitable on account of poor man- 
agement. The trees have not made a 
satisfactory growth because they were de- 
prived of moisture on account of poor 
cultivation, poor irrigation or the sapping 
of the moisture and food by the crops 
planted too close to the trees. The soil 
