586 



Cider Orchards. 



[JAN., 



in new land, even although all the old trees have been removed. 

 Striking examples of this may be seen where two adjoining 

 orchards of young trees have been planted at the same time, 

 the one on new land and the other on the site of an old orchard. 

 After a few years' growth the development of the trees in the 

 latter case cannot be compared with that in the former. If this 

 is so, where the old trees have been entirely removed, how 

 much greater must be the prejudicial influence on growth in 

 those instances, where a young tree is planted among old ones 

 to fill a gap caused by the death of one of the latter. It is 

 to be expected that the soil during the course of life of an 

 orchard would become impoverished of the elements of food, 

 which are needed for the growth of apple trees, and that a 

 second orchard planted on the same site would surfer accord- 

 ingly. There is, too, the possibility that the soil may become 

 " apple-sick," as happens sometimes in the case of other 

 crops. 



A second, and most important, reason against the re- 

 planting of old orchards is the risk of infection of the young 

 trees by insect and fungus pests. Most old orchards are 

 hot-beds of pests of various descriptions, and although all old 

 trees may be removed, the soil will certainly remain laden 

 with the pests. Particularly dangerous are root fungi, such 

 as Tree Root Rot (Armillaria mellea), also known as Agaricus 

 melleus. This fungus spreads in the soil, and there does 

 not appear to be any means of eradicating it. In most 

 old orchards one can find trees attacked by it, and although 

 it is possible that it may not be able to attack healthy un- 

 wounded roots, it can sooner or later find an entry into the 

 tree through a damaged root, and eventually cause its death. 



The whole question of the extension of orchard planting 

 is thus reduced in the end to one of finding fresh land available 

 for the purpose. The matter is one in which both landlord 

 and tenant are concerned, and without entering here into a 

 discussion of the points involved, the hope may be expressed 

 that, in future, no obstacle to a satisfactory arrangement may 

 arise, as it has done in the past, owing to inattention and want 

 of care of the young trees after planting. 



