GROUND LIMESTONE AND WEEDS. 
Successful jersey Orchard Practice. 
Since we printed the picture showing the motor 
1 rucks at work in the orchard of A. T. Repp, of 
(doucester County, New Jersey, we have had many 
letters asking us to explain Mr. Repp's peculiar 
method of culture. This has already been done sev¬ 
eral times, hut new readers have failed to see the 
articles. There is really little to tell, as nothing 
< ould he simpler than Mr. Repp's plan of culture. 
he soil is light, inclining to sand, and responds 
quickly to culture and feeding. For a good many 
years the plan was to plow early in the Spring with 
shallow furrows, and use heavy dressings of a fer¬ 
tilizer containing such chemicals as dried 1 loud. 
July, and sowing a cover crop among the trees. 
1 sually in the latitude of Southern Jersey Crimson 
clover will do well, or Ilairy vetch, or some other 
crop which will add nitrogen to the soil. Yfter 
some trial and study Mr. Repp discarded these ap¬ 
proved clover crops and decided simply to let the 
ground alone to cover itself in what may be called 
the natural way. This means that an immense 
growth of weeds will follow as soon as cultivation 
stops, and absolutely cover the ground. IIow well 
this succeeds may he seen in the picture. Fig. 2N4, 
which gives a view of the Repp orchards during late 
August or early September. One would think to 
look at the weed crop in this picture that here was 
a most slovenly way to handle an orchard. Here are 
ragweeds and similar others reaching to a man’s 
in Spring. It is also true that they add little or no 
nitrogen to the soil. The first objection is really an 
advantage, for it is much easier to plow under or 
work the dead remains of the weeds than it would 
he to work under a living crop of clover or rye. 
Y\ here one has a living crop growing it is something 
of human nature to delay until that crop has made 
fair size, and this often puts plowing and working 
behindhand. 
As for the adding of nitrogen to this soil, Mr. 
Repp figures that he does not now need excessive. 
quantities of that element. When you come to think 
of it there is nothing taken out of such a soil ex¬ 
cept the fruit. Fruit is mostly water anyway, and 
carries but little plant food. Trimmings from the 
trees are burned, and the ashes are returned, so 
TIIK FRl’IT AND THE COVER CROP OF WEEDS IN THE REIT ORCHARD. Fig 2S4. 
1>one , a «d phosphate and potash. The theory was 
!| i get this heavy dressing of fertilizer in early, and 
'h'-n give the most thorough culture up to the latter 
l’ art <,f J »i'e or the middle of July. With such eul- 
lllu ‘ i 1- ees were driven into a quick, active growth, 
power to set a heavy crop of fruit and 
1 us ^ i'loiig to reasonable size. Mr. Repp grows a 
K1 ' ( ’ at “any pears, and it was found that when this 
■ mi' was kept up too late in the season the trees 
\ i u. very subject to blight and other diseases, 
' ''h are likely to affect wood that is too soft or 
' 1 i't'n into active growth late in the season. Some- 
1 ' | i |1 "' s!l0U ld he done therefore to stop this active 
'"\\ih and give the trees opportunity to harden the 
'vo«»d, perfect their crop and fit themselves for 
” inter. 
people who follow scientitic methods accom- 
1 'di this result by stopping cultivation early in 
head or shoulders, just the very thing which the 
experts have told us indicated a poor farmer. Yet 
Mr. Repp is one of the best farmers to be found 
anywhere, and these weeds are permitted to grow 
for a definite purpose. They make their tremendous 
growth just at the time that the trees are to be 
haltered and stop the production of wood. These 
big ragweeds and others put a bridle on the trees, or 
harness them with a check-rein and compel them to 
stop running away into wood, but to turn about and 
perfect a fruit crop, and then harden up for Winter. 
These weeds make a heavier drain upon the soil 
than any definite crop which could be seeded at this 
season, and thus they accomplish their purpose. 
They also produce a heavier growth of vegetable 
matter during late Summer and Fall than any of 
the standard cover crops would do. It is true that 
they die down during the Winter and show no life 
that it is comparatively easy to keep up the fertility 
of such land in fruit growing after it has once been 
established. At any rate the Repp plan is a suc¬ 
cess, and there is no use arguing against a success 
hy telling a man what he ought to do, or what science 
tells him would be better. Year after year this 
production of weeds as a cover crop is going on, 
and the outcome from the orchard is very satis¬ 
factory. The auto truck shows that Mr. Repp is up 
to date in transportation as well as in production. 
In connection with this system of caring for the 
soil, Mr. Repp has worked out further problems of 
plant feeding. He has become one of the greatest 
cranks in the country on the subject of ground lime¬ 
stone. Every year in place of part of the heavy 
dressing of fertilizer, an application of this ground 
limestone is made, and the effect is quickly notice¬ 
able. The soil takes on better physical condition, 
