29 



1909 (b) Color. Per cent. Apples colored ^ or more. 



Avrage 

 Ratios, . 



per cent.. 





, 75.4 

 1 100. 



81. 



107.4 



81.5 

 108. 1 



85.6 

 113. 5 



1908-9. 





(c) 



Size. Average weight of Apples. 





Average 

 Ratios, 



— ; — 





4.5 oz 

 100. 



4.74 oz 



105.3 

 100. 



4.91 oz 



109. 



103.6 



4.69 oz 

 104.2 











1907-9. 





(d) 



Growth. Increase in Trunk-girth. 





Average 

 Ratios, . 



increase, . 



1 



4.38 in 1 

 1 122.3 



4.14 m 1 

 115. 6 

 100. 



4.29 m 

 119. 8 

 103.6 



3.58 in 

 100. 













In these results, the mulch system is first in yield and size of 

 apples, second to sod on color, and second to clean tillage by a 

 slight margin on growth."^ It has surpassed the cover crop method 

 on every phase and in total ranking is plainly first thus far in the 

 combined results of this group of experiments. Reserving judgment 

 on the relative merits of these systems for the present we will turn 

 to consider the data from a similar experiment in an older orchard, — 

 that of Mr. Fassett, in which the trees are now 37 years old. The 

 results from the unfertilized plots in this orchard are shown in 

 Table VII. 



^The margin is really slighter than appears in the table, as the 1909 meas- 

 urements in the mulch plot of experiment 218 were taken a little higher 

 on the trunks than those of 1907, owing to the presence of screens on the 

 trees at the later date. 



TABLE VII. 



Effect of Cultural Methods on Yield, Color, Size and Growth 

 Without Fertilization. 



Expt. 221, Mature Orchard. (a) Yield. 



1907-9. 



IV. 



Tillage and 

 Cover Crop. 



VII. 



Sod Mulch. 



Totals, 3 years, | 34269 lb 



Ratios, ". 1 147. 1 



23294 lb 

 100. 



1908-9 (b) Color. Per cent. Apples colored ^ or more. 



Ratios, 



57.4% 

 100. 



87.5 % 

 152.4 



1908-9 (c) Size, average weight of apples. 



Ratios, i 100. 



5.04 oz 

 106. 1 



1907-9 (d) Growth, Increase in Trunk-girth. 



Ratios, 



2.9 in 

 219.7 



1.32 in 

 100. 



From the above results it will be noted that, in the mature 

 orchard, tillage with a cover crop for three years has been far su- 

 perior to sod mulch in yield and growth, having borne nearly one 



