The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-12-27


GRASS aTULCIE F0T- TIE ORCHARD.
In view of the general interest which
IS evinced by orchardists relative to
the best method of orchard culture,
some account of experiments which
have been conducted by the Ohio ex
pertinent station with view to as
certaining the best method of orchard
care will be both interesting and valu-
able. Clean cultivation of the orchard
throughout the entire season has it's
advocates, more follow the practice Of
clean cultivation up to the LIST of Au-
gust, with cover crop following.
year around without any cultivation
whatever. The experiments were con-
Quoted with view to ascertaining the
best method The work was begun in
1900 when the trees were first set out,
and has been carried on up to the
present time. On one plot the usual
cultivation and cover crop method of
culture was observed. On another plat
the ground was kept clean cultivated
throughout the entire season. On the
third plat the trees were planted d.
rectly in the sod, and the ground
around each tree was kept cultivated
over a circular area Of four feet in di-
ameter. On fourth plat the trees
were also set in sod, but, instead Of
cultivating the area around each tree,
they were heavily mulched with straw,
the trees being protected from rodents
by fine mesh wire screen The grass
in this plat was cut three or four times
during the season and raked up and
used for mulch about the trees. The
average results Of the four methods Of
orchard culture observable at the end
Of six years are decidedly in favor Of
planting in sod and mulching.
The trees on the plat thus treated
not only made heavier and more Wig
tenn Of culture, but produced twice as
much fruit Under the cultivation and
cover crop method Of culture the trees
made very nearly as good growth, and
the fertility Of the soil was kept up.
That the general results, as regards
both tree growth and yield of fruit,
were inferior to the grass mulch meth
cd was the most striking result of the
experiment. The experiment conduct
ed proved that the poorest results of
all were obtained when clean cultiva-
ton was carried throughout the sea-
son, as the soil washed badly, and at
the same time no humus or fertility
was added to it, and this method was
abandoned at the end of the fourth
year. The trees set in sod with circular
area cultivated gave good results the
first two or three years, but after that
time better results were obtained with
either grass mulch or cover crop meth
cd. Contrary to quite generally accept
ed views regarding the development of
the root systems of trees under differ
ent systems of culture, it was found
that the main root system of the trees
was developed at very uniform depth
in the soil, whatever method Of culture
was followed, it being observed that
the greater portion of large and small
roots was in the upper six inches Of
the soil. The conductors of the expert
ment state at the conclusion of their
report that they would have their find
ings considered suggestive rather than
conclusive. The advantage Of the sod
mulch method seems to be that it is
equally well adapted to orchards on
slopinS or steep grounds, where cult
walton Is impracticable, and to level
lands 1t also gives the orchard neat
appearance at all times, while the firm
ness Of the sod permits Of pruning and
spraying operations and the gathering
Of fruit in all kinds Of weather when
cultivated ground would be soft and
muddy.