The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-02-11
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FARMER AND
PLANTER
COVER CROPS ON COTTON LAND.
Winter Leeumes, Such as Bur and
Crimson Clover and Hairy vetch
Are Very Good.

WiuteT Icgumcay oucn as Bur anc
Crimson Clover and Hairy vetch
Are Very Good.
(By A. d. McNair. once OF Farm
Management. Bureau OF Plant In
dustry, Washington. d. CO
The need for winter cover crops in
the cotton region is most pressing.
During the long winter months the
soil OF the cotton fields. especially in
the hilly regions. Is washed into the
streams. leaving the hillsides quilted.
and impoverished From the first OF
October until the first Of the follow
Ing April, a period of six months.
something should be grown between
the cotton rows which would prevent
iEis washing. Another benefit OF
such cover crop and one not usually
understood, is that the growing plant
VIII utilize whatever nitrates may be
tn the soil. Nitrates are formed in
all soils 10 a greater or less extent
and when rains come those nitrates.
being very soluble. are washed out
unless some growing crop is present
to utilize them. Another advantage
OF winter cover crops is that they
furnish pasture for domestic animals.
Still another advantage is that they
furnish vegetable matters to the soil,
thus building up its fertility This
period OF time, from October / to
April 1. constitutes half OF the whole
year and should certainly be utilized
In which to grow something OF bene-
Mt to the soil and to Increase the
farmers income. There are those
who object to pasturlng animals in
the cotton fields in the winter, and
these objections are sometimes valid. |
Farmers must be their own judges as
TO what soils can be pastured and |
under what conditions this can be
done. But even II no pasturing is
done. a winter cover crop should be
there Just the same. for It is very
advantageous in other ways.
Some experiments have been made
with certain winter legumes as cover
crops, with a view to increasing the
fertility OF the soil At the North
Carolina Experiment Station bur clov-
er was sowed between the rows Of
cotton when the crop was laid by
and was plowed down the following
spring as a fertilizer for the cotton
crop the next year. They report that
The value OF the cotton grown where
bur clover was plowed under was S1s
more per acre than where no cover
crop was used. This increase of
value is SO great that 1t ought to in
crest every farmer in the idea of
sowing a cover crop In his cotton
ield. Even II the increase had been
'nly half what 1t actually was It
would have paid larger per cent on
he investment.
In the fall of 1907 Mr.. L. NJ. Cook.
irand Cane, La. sowed 20 pounds Of
he seed of hairy vetch on one and q
nerhalf acres of his cotton field. He d
razed sheep on It during the winter. b
ut much Of 1t reached a height of c
foot or more in the early spring
efore the land was pIowed. Cotton n
'as planted on the same land in the a
pring OF 1908, and when the writer O
aw It on September IL 1t looked as
the yield would be 20 per cent bet d
er where the vetch was plowed under q
nan where no cover crop was used +,
Best Crop FOR Winter Cover. n
Probably the winter legumes, such II
s bur clover crimson clover and
airy vetch. are better for use as 81
inter cover, especially for the pur- k
ose Of Improving the soil. than the Fl
inter grains. However. the winter D,
rains, especially oats and barley, are d,
uch surer than the legumes and are re
lually good to hold the soil from
ashing away and as winter pasture, n,
1t so far as they will grow It is re
uch better for the farmer to SOW 4,
Ie winter legumes. for they gather q
trogen from the air and enrich the n,
III. 1t is an open question what win Or
r legume is the best In some sec =,
Ons crimson clover, red clover, and q
q vetches may be used, but one \,
Of these is that in SO ~
any instances the soil is not natur-
ly inoculated for them and the first -,
wing of these crops is a failure.
le second sowing ON the same land !,
usually a success, but many farm ~
S are discouraged with their first - va
lure and do not pursue the matter -
y further. Bur clover has the ad. ~
ntage that when sowed in the bur ~
carries its own incubation and is ~
success from the start It is true
at some times it does not seem to no
rminate well, but IL the seed is pr
cd and 1t is sowed early. say when sp
g cotton crop is laid by, It is rea. W.
nably sure to come and is one of 81
2 best plants in the South to enrich
. soil. 1t is believed by those who
We had the most experience with bu
r clover and the vetches that eth an
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