Arizona republican., 1899-09-28

green matter or to 4 tons of dry mat
 ter per acre last April If permfttst to grow longer it becomes more woody
 does not turn under so well and de
 cays less rapidly. By attaching
 chain to the blow all the growth car
 ordinarily be turned under.
 The alfalfa may be sown earlier thar the clover, as the seed will germinate
 during warmer weather. It does best
 if sown in the same manner as de
 scribed for the clover. As it does not
 grow as rapidly during the winter, it
 will usually net be ready to blow un- der as early. Thirty pounds of seed
 per acre will be sufficient
 Peas sown very thickly (125 to 200 pounds per acre) during fall or winter will give a small. yield of vines and in addition furnish Q supply of green
 peas. The best varieties for this pur-
 pose were found to be Yorkshire Hero and Champion of England
 The White sweet-clover already mentioned makes a luxuriant growth during the summer, but grows little during the winter when the trees are dormant. For summer growth it seems to be no better than alfalfa. If permitted to grow two seasons, it dies at the end of the second. It may be plowed under green, or simply be al lowed to die and decay upon the sur face.
 The benefits from the winter-grown reen-manuring crops are f0ur-fcld at least. In the first place, the soil IS thus covered during portion of the year and the exhaustion Of decayed vegetation by the heat of the sun re- taIded. In the second place, plant food that would otherwise be washed away by rains and irrigation is appro- priated by growing plants. and thus saved for the tree. One Of the most important benefits is the improved condition of the soil, due to the decaying of the green matter turned under. This causes the soil to bake less after irrigation, and to hold its moisture longer.
 The chief benefit to the trees comes | from the addition to the soil of nitro | gen, one of the most important plant | foods. The nitrogen added is derived | from the air mixed with the soil. Most ! plants are poWerless to use nitrogen from the air with which they are sur notwithstanding the fact that i the latter contains about 80 per cent of his element The members Of the pea family (peas, beans,. clovers, al ialfa, etc.) are an exception. They larbOr upon their roots colonies Of plants called bacteria which have the ability to absorb ni- rOgen and pass it along to the plants o which they are attached. The irri- ation produced by these colonies Of ,acteria causes the formation of small rodules or knots by which their ex- stence upon the plants may be known.
 The blowing under Of the plants hat have secured their nitrogen else where than from the soil adds to the alter the nitrogen thus secured, and I} n addition benefits the sCil in the ( 7ays mentioned above.
 It has been found by W. M. Ward, ne of the leading orange growers ear Phoenix, that, after sowing the -ellow sweet-clover seed one or two easons in an orchard, enough seed will I nature under the trees, and in other faces not reached by the blow, to seed s he orchard from year to year, the only 7ork necessary being throwing dur lg early October and subsequent irri- z ation. MT. Ward was one of the first ' len to. SOW the Yellow sweet-clover ' or this purpose, having begun it's use everal years ago. He believes it has : cen of great benefit to his orchard.