Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-04
SOME THOUGHTS ON GOOD
WORK IN APPLE 0RcHARD;'
Speaks Has Pertinst and Timely
Remarks to Make.
WAYS OF WORKING. THE TREES
Good Tillage-When and Where 1t
Should Begin, andWh Ell and Where
1t Should Stop-Advs,ntages, the
Summer Corn Crop.

a. w. Drinkard Jr., assistant horti-
culturist at the experiment station OF
the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
writes interestingly about the tillase
of apple orchards. and what he has to
say below comes In goosd time for the
consideration Of Virginia orchardists.
Writing for the Industr ia1 Section of
The Times-Dispat ch, ProTe ssor Drink.
ard says:
Apple trees require large amount
OF water. because they are continually
losing water from theitr EXPANSIVE
evaporatins surface, incd udinw botl
leaves and bark. Professor Burrill, of
the University OF Illinois, has estimated
that large-sized apple tree, having
$4,000 square feet Of evauorating sur
face, will give off about 500 gallons
of water per day during the hot season
The water lost by trans piration is re-.
placed by absorption feoi.; tne soil
The root system of l;trBe tree has
an enormous ramihcatiop, and draws
water from large volume OF soil.
Owing TO the heavy demand for water
which the trees make on 1he soil. Il Is
obvious that the best means should be
employed to conserve the moisture in
the soil for the use of the trees Dur
ing winter and carly sprins there is
frequently an excess of rsunfall The,
soil should he kept in condition to.
make of itself an effective reservoir.
for holding this excess of moisture
GOOD TfLLAGE ron ORCHARD,
WHAT IS MEANT
Good tiilare is relative term. de-
pending upon the character of the soil
and the stage of the DEVELOPMENT of
the trees. \ tight. clay soil REQUIRES
more frequent tillage than loose.
stony soil. Good tillage for apple
trees two years of age might he in
furious to trees twenty-five years OF
age.
Good tillage should begin at the time
the orchard Is established. Before the
trees are set, the land should be.
thoroughly plowed, and if the sub
soil is tight II should be sub soiIed at
the time of blowing. Sub solllng makes
1t possible for the young trees TO
strike their roots deep into the soil.
thereby increasing their range for col
Letting moisture and food.
In young orchard. deep blowing
may he practiced. hut the pillow should
not he allowed to run deep into the
land near the trees. Before the root
system of the young trees becomes ex
tensive. 1t Is safe to sub soil TN. land
between the tree rows. Flowing should
be done in winter or early spring 40
as to conserve the rainfall of these
seasons. After the opening of the
growing season. cultivation should CON
sist largely of surface tillage. using
such implements as the disc. spring
tooth and spike-tooth harrows At this
season 1t is important to maintain n
dust mulch on the surface of the soil
SO that the capillary tubes will be
broken and loss of moisture thus large
~ prevented.
Deep blowing should generally be
avoided In orchards which have
reached the stage of full productivity
because Of the danger Of doing in
jury TO the tree roots. Many success
full fruit growers prefer to pillow their
old orchards with a single plow turn
ing the land TO a depth Of only
few inches. But there are cases where
CONTINUED on Sixth Paee)