| OCR Text |
Show GOOD SOIL FOR AN ORCHARD Must Be Prepared Sufficiently Deep and Drained So That Roots May Reach Into Subsoil. First of all, the soil must be well drained and prepared sufficiently deep so that the rools may reach deep into the subsoil. Second, the surface sur-face soil must be cultivated frequently frequent-ly and a rotation of cover crops and catch crops employed so that a sufficient suf-ficient amount of plant food will be made available to promote a rapid, healthy growth rather than forcing the growth of the trees by the use of manures and fertilizers rich in nitrogen. nitro-gen. In some rare instances the soil may be deficient in plant food, and the intelligent use of mineral plant foods will prove very beneficial. It is when the orchards begin to produce large crops of fruit that the demands for plant food must be met if profitable crops of superior fruit are secured. At this time the roots of the trees have taken possession of practically all of the soil, and have utilized the larger portion of the available plant food so that the addition ad-dition of manure or fertilizer is es-seniial. es-seniial. The function of the soil in furnishing furnish-ing the trees with nourishment is an exceedingly complex "one, and there are certain well-defined laws that must be kept in mind for improvement and maintenance of the fertility of the soil that is occupied by the trees. Some orchardists advocate sod mulch, others depend upon cultivation and the liberal use of fertilizers and barn manures, others cover crops and mineral min-eral fertilizers as a means of improving improv-ing and maintaining the fertility of orchard soils. The fact that no two soils required the same line of treatment has caused a confusion of ideas in the management manage-ment of orchard soils. |
