The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-05-15

the ground would be completely hid
den by the fresh young growth. Under
this treatment the irrigation troubles
soon disappeared, and the trees were
as thrifty as could be desired. At the
time | visited the orchard this treat
ment had been in practice for several
years, and with most gratifying re-
suits, as the trees were perfectly
healthy and bearing large crops OF
good sized fruit annually, and show
ing no i'll effects from competition with
the clover Moreover, it was found
that the hay paid all running expenses
of the orchard, and the receipts from
the fruit became clear profit. This
system has now been in operation
some six years, but it may still prove
ultimately to be detrimental. 1t is
commonly thought inadvisable to re-
move any crop from an orchard in
full bearing, but so far no evil results
have been obtained in this case. 1t
would probably be an Improvement to
give clean culture for an entire sea-
son about once in four years.
Glover and the other legumes like
alfalfa, peas, beans, and vetches, are
particularly valuble for cover crops
because of the power they alone pos
sess of gathering nitrogen from the
air Other plants used for this pur-
pose give to the soil only the elements
of fertility which they have absorbed
from it, but legumes actually add a
very valuable element. Glover is not
desirable as a cover crop if the crop
is to be turned under the spring after
sowing, as it does not make a heavy
growth here till the second year. On
the other hand, alfalfa will not do if it
is to be left several years, as the roots
become so large it is very difficult to
pillow up. Crimson clover is highly
recommended for cover cropping by
eastern stations, but is complete fail
ure in this state. For late sown
crop, to be turned under the following
spring, the large seeded plants of
strong terminating power are best.
Cow peas and velvet beans are too
sensitive to frost for this region, but
Canadian field peas and vetches are
excellent.
Among the non-leguminOuS cover
crop plants the best are turnips and
rape, Gotten called potash gatherers
because of the large amount of this
material they appropriate and make
more available, and oats, rye, and
barley Buckwheat is too uncertain.
All the grains are excessively drying
to the soil if allowed to head, and
should be turned under before they
reach that stage This class of plants
is preferable where the soil is already
rich in nitrogen, and the use OF le-
gumes would produce excessive wood
growth or the two may be used in
combination, legume and a potash
gatherer making particularly good
one.
Cover crops which require a full
season, or any system in which a
permanent sod is established, are not
adapted to the Palouse region, if the
experiments of this station are any
criterion. In the spring of 1903 one
portion of the apple orchard was dl-
vided into three equal parts, which
may be designated as plots l, and 3.
Plot / was seeded to red clover in
May, with the intention of cutting and
allowing it to lay where 1t fell. Plot
2 was cultivated throughout the sea-
son. Plot was seeded to red clover
at the same time as plot 1, the inten-
ton having been to remove the first
crop, but allow the second to remain
through the winter, and disk under
in the spring The stand of clover
was uneven the first year, and the
growth so light that no cutting was
made, nor was plot disked the fol
lowing spring.
The fruit the first year was some
what below size in the seeded strips,
but this was only an inkling of what
was to come. In 1904 the clover came