nection with cover crops, and
the orchard should be given occasional periods of rest in sod--say one
year in from three to five.

The sod mulch system of orchard culture is probably better adapted to
rather wet good grass land and where mulching material is cheap and
readily available. It is undoubtedly at its best on lands too steep or
rough to till, or otherwise unsuitable to cultivation. Tillage is the
more intensive method and where labor is scarce and high sod culture
might be more advisable for this reason, other conditions being not
too unfavorable.

In order to illustrate a method of management under the tillage system
we may suggest the following as a good one for level to gently rolling
land:

1912. Early plowing in spring, cultivation to July first to
fifteenth. Then sow red clover as a cover crop.

1913. Repeat previous year's treatment, varying the time of
sowing cover crop according to conditions.

1914. Let the clover grow, mowing and leaving on the ground as a
mulch, June fifteenth to twentieth, and again in August.

1915. Plow early in spring, cultivate to midsummer, and then sow
rye or buckwheat as a cover crop July fifteenth to August
fifteenth.

1916. Repeat 1915 treatment and if trees are not growing too
fast, sow clover or hairy vetch as a cover crop.

1917. Same as 1912, etc.

PASTURING THE ORCHARD.--The sod mulch system explains itself and does
not need illustration. Sod orchards are often managed as pasture for
animals, however, and this practice should be discussed. An orchard is
considered as pastured when a considerable number of animals are
turned into it for a greater or less portion of the year. Results in
orchards where pasturage has been thoroughly tried out show that it is
never advisable to pasture an orchard with horses or cattle, but that
fairly good results may be expected where sheep or hogs are used.

The evidence of yield of fruit and appearance of trees both indicate,
that pasturing an orchard with horses or cattle is about the worst
possible practice. These animals rub against the trees, break the
branches, browse the limbs and leaves, and destroy the fruit as high
as they can reach. All experience is against this practice which
cannot be too strongly deprecated.

Pasturing an orchard with sheep, although a somewhat doubtful
practice, often gives good results. Sheep crop the grass close to the