. The fruit-growers guide-book. spring air is admitted and the soilv/armed up and drained of excess moisture through evap-oration. In summer the plowed layer serves as a meansof preventing the evaporation of moisture that is deeperdoAvn in the soil, by breaking the capilarity. It also in-creases the water holding capacity of the soil. By increas-ing the moisture in the soil decomposition of the organicmaterials is hastened, and their fertility made availablefor the use of the plants. The exact manner of cultivation in an orchard will begoverned largely by the kind of trees and the location. 42
. The fruit-growers guide-book. spring air is admitted and the soilv/armed up and drained of excess moisture through evap-oration. In summer the plowed layer serves as a meansof preventing the evaporation of moisture that is deeperdoAvn in the soil, by breaking the capilarity. It also in-creases the water holding capacity of the soil. By increas-ing the moisture in the soil decomposition of the organicmaterials is hastened, and their fertility made availablefor the use of the plants. The exact manner of cultivation in an orchard will begoverned largely by the kind of trees and the location. 42 The Fruit-Growers Guide-Book It is best in most instances to put the young orchard intoa crop of some sort which will necessitate the cultivationof the land. Crops like corn, cotton, potatoes, strawber-ries, cantaloupes, or other crops of that nature make ex-cellent crops in a newly planted orchard. These crops aretemporary, and are planted for the profit that can be ob-tained from them. Their culture is intensive and requires. An Orchard in Clean Cultivation. a frequent stirring of the soil, and these are just the con-ditions which are needed for the young trees. During thefirst few years of an orchard the effort should be directedalong the line of promoting as much wood growth as pos-sible, in order to get a large framework for the future pro-duction of fruit. A tree that is starved and stunted in itsearly life will not make a productive tree when it comesinto bearing. Orchard Tillage 43 Where strawberries are grown between young treesthey will occupy the ground for at least three years, afterwhich time they should be plowed under, and the landplanted to clover or some other legume. This is for thepurpose of restoring nitrogen to the soil and stimulatingthe wood growth of the trees. Where corn, cotton orother hoed crop is grown, the land will be occupied b}^any one crop no longer than one year. It is consideredto be the best practice not to plant the same kind of cropin the
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