| Show GROW TRUCK CROPS IN P EACH ORCHARDS 7 W 4 X 4 77 77 Z ak 7 vegetables from the family garden prepared by the united states department of 0 agriculture tho the g rowing growing of somo some annual crop between the trees during the first two or three seasons following tile the planting ot of an orchard as an aid in meet trig lug the cost of maintenance during the unproductive age of the trees Is frequently regarded by the grower as an economic measure this practice Is seldom it if over ever any advantage to the trees in comparison with thorough tillage by itself but it if Inter planted crops are wisely selected and properly managed with respect to their relation to the trees they are not likely to result in any serious harm A considerable range of choice may be exercised by the grower as to what crops may be used the relative market value ot of different crops should of course govern the selection to some extent it should always be seen however thit that whatever la Is chosen mull must t not interfere with any of the operations required in the development of tl ti S treed Musk muskmelons melons beans pens peas cabbages tomatoes and other truck crops are extensively ten grown in this way in different sections potatoes are sometimes used ubell but they are suitable only when the crop can be so managed that the digging ol 01 0 the potatoes will not amount to a late cultivation which may be attended with undesirable re nulta corn also Is frequently used but as very often managed it Is ob because it shades the trees excessively whenever corn Is in planted ter an open strip of considerable width should be left along the rows so that the trees will he be fully exposed to the sunlight ight throughout the season it if a very tall strong growing variety of corn Is used a wider strip should be left unplanted than where a dwarf variety Is selected the Inter planted crop ought 0 lo 10 o be ono one which needs essentially the kame ame tillage that the peach trees should have where this is the case chepec the ec andary crop does not seriously inter fere with that operation dut but the grower should realize that ha ba Is in effect following a system of double cropping and that because of the in ill ter planted crop he may need to alva more attention to the maintenance ot of the fertility of the soil than ho he would for the peaches alone after the trees reach bearing age they should not bo be made to corn com pete with another crop even it if there Is sufficient plant food in the soil to produce successfully two crops at the tha same time the peach trees will usually need all of tho the available soil moisture except of course in sections where irrigation Is practiced and there Is an adequate supply of wa tor for all purposes besides an Inter planted crop would bo be likely to interfere with the spraying of the tha trees if that operation should be necessary with the harvesting of the tha fruit and in other ways peach trees planted with apples peach trees are sometimes used as an Inter planted crop especially where apples comprise the permanent crop this praet practice ice la Is both highly recommended and emphatically condemned by fruit growers grower ot wide experience peri ence it to is probably objectionable in that tor for a period ot of years both bearing and nonbearing trees occupy the same area and it Is sometimes desirable to treat a fruiting tareq tre very differently from one that ts is not fruiting for the best results with each on the other hand baud when a site la is particularly favorable for both fruits a compromise treatment can often be effected which yields fairly satisfactory results with both kinds of trees the united states department ot 0 agriculture washington D C send bond interested fruit growers tree free of charge its Fa farmers bulletin no on growing peaches which gives in detail much information on the pruning of trees renewal of tops thinning Inter planted crops and special practices |
