Title: Apple growing in California
Identifier: applegrowinginca178alle (find matches)
Year: 1951 (1950s)
Authors: Allen, F. W. (Frank Wisdom), 1887-1982
Subjects: Fruit-culture; Apples
Publisher: [Berkeley : College of Agriculture, University of California]
Contributing Library: University of California, Davis Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: University of California, Davis Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
'
Text Appearing After Image:
Close view of a section of an orchard disk that has been equipped with depth regulators. When the equipment is used in this way, the soil is cultivated to a depth of only 4 inches when the disks are set to cut at full depth. (see photo). Since cultivation in the ab- sence of weeds has no influence in con- serving soil moisture, the frequency of subsequent tillage during the summer will depend largely upon the amount of weed growth and the frequency of irriga- tions or of late spring rains. If rains oc- cur and the soil has become too compact to permit the construction of irrigation furrows or levees (in orchards which are irrigated) or if there is a resumption of heavy weed growth, a second cultivation may be necessary before irrigating. But as a rule this is unnecessary. Hence the second cultivation follows any irrigation given, or it may even be withheld until the irrigation levees must be broken down to facilitate harvesting, spraying, prun- ing, and brush removal or until time to prepare a seedbed for the covercrop. 2. Irrigation Where bearing trees will produce 8 to 10 inches of new wood each year and a satisfactory annual crop of good-sized SECTION IV-Page 2 fruit, irrigation would seem unnecessary. If, however, wood growth is scanty and the fruit, even when properly thinned, fails to size properly and is of poor qual- ity, lacking in crispness and flavor, irri- gation should be considered. The success of many orchards will largely depend upon whether the owner can supply water during the growing season. In other in- stances the water is probably being ap- plied uselessly. A supply of available moisture throughout the growing season is the condition desired, and frequent exami- nation with a soil auger is the most satisfactory method of determining the necessity for and the frequency of irri- gation. Sufficient water should be applied to secure thrifty but not excessive or rank wood growth. Light, sandy soils or soils underlaid with a substratum of gravel may require frequent applications, while the heavier clay loams may need only one or two. The latter is the usual prac-

Note About Images