64 
IRRIGATION. 
Proper irrigation of the orchard depends entirely upon the condi- 
tions. There are several methods of emplo} ing water in irrigation— 
b}^ flooding, b}^ a system of checks, or by furrows. The latter is 
probably the most efficient, but care should be taken that both sides of 
the tree receive an equal suppl}^ of water. 
SOIL OR COVER CROPS. 
The soil of different localities varies, and the treatment should var}^ 
with the conditions. In irrigated sections the soil is usually lacking 
in humus, and is often packed so closely together that it is impervious 
to water. By proper tillage this is corrected to some extent, but the 
greatest success has been attained b}^ growing cover crops. Red clover 
is successfully used for this purpose, and is advantageous in many 
ways. The roots penetrate deeph^ into the soil, thus forming passages 
for water; by keeping a cover of clover over the soil, evaporation from 
the soil is retarded, and the irrigation need not be so frequent, as the 
water is retained for a longer time; the clover can be cut and used for 
hay; and about every third year the practice of ploAving the clover is 
followed, so that, in addition to the fixing of nitrogen b}' the roots of 
the clover, the decaying vegetation adds needed humus to the soil. 
ORCHARD IN BEARING. 
A veiy serious error is made b}^ many fruit growers in regard to 
the first crop of fruit. Reasoning that the first crop is not worth 
tiTing to save from the codling moth, the grower allows the insect to 
infest most of it, intending the following year to appl}^ preventive 
and remedial measures and put it under control. The result usually 
is that the following 3^ear he has an abundance of insects, and his loss 
will be considerable. If, when the larva? were all in this first crop, the 
apples had been destroyed by being picked and buried, or if bands 
had been used late in the summer, a large percentage of the loss in 
the second 3^ear could have been prevented. 
It is often the case that on account of some imforeseen condition, 
such as a freeze or a frost, the fruit crop is reduced to almost nothing. 
Under such conditions each grower must decide for himself what 
methods he will pursue. Usually in such j'^ears the price of fruit is 
very high, tempting the grower to produce all the fruit he can, even 
if infested. The writer recommends that when the crop is so small 
that each tree will produce onlv about one box or less of good fruit, 
the fruit should be picked and destroyed, not earlier than the middle 
of July nor later than the middle of August, and other methods such 
as banding should be used to destro}^ as man}" of the remaining insects 
as possible. Various instances have been under the observation of the 
writer Jo which these suggestions were followed with great success. 
