Even
where this is not done, the alfalfa will add to the humus of the soil by
its own wastes both from root and stem. The presence of an alfalfa cover
reduces the danger of leaf and bark burning either by reflected or
radiated heat from a smooth ground surface, and some trees are very much
benefited by this protection in regions of high temperature. This might
be expected to be the case with the apple, which is somewhat subject to
leaf burning in our interior valleys.
Top Grafting.
In grafting over apple and pear trees to some other variety, is it
advisable to cut off and graft the entire tree the first year where the
trees are from 7 to 15 years old, or would it be better to cut off only
a part of the top the first year and the rest the following year?
In the coast region it is a good practice to graft over the whole tree
at one time, cutting, however, above the forks and not into the main
stem below the forking. This gives many scions which seem able to take
care of the sap successfully. In the interior valleys, it is rather
better practice to leave a branch or two, cutting them out at the
following winter's pruning, for probably the first year's grafts will
give you branches enough. This has the effect of preventing the drowning
out of the scions from too strong sap-flow. Cutting back and regrafting
of old trees should be done rather early, before the most active
sap-flow begins.
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