Times-promoter., 1909-02-04

FARMER AND
PLANTER
COVER CROPS ON COTTON LAND.

Winter Lesumes, Such as Bur ant
Crimson Clover and Hairy vetch
Are Very Good.
| (By A. d. McNair, Office of Farm
| Management, Bureau of Plant In
dustry, Washington, D. c.
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
this washing. Another benefit of
such cover crop and one not usually
understood, Is that the growing plant
will utilize whatever nitrates may be
| in the SOIL Nitrates are formed in
all soils to a greater or less extent
and when rains come these 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
fIIr ,icb 10
thus building up its fertility. This
period of time, from October / to
April /, constitutes half of the whole
year and should certainly be utilized
In which to grow something of bene-
fit to the soil and to increase the
farmers income. There are those
who object to pasturing 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, 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 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 fertilizer for the cotton
crop the next year. They report that
the value of the cotton grown where
bur clover was plowed under was $18
more per acre than where no cover
crop was used. This increase of
value Is so great that it ought to in
terest every farmer in the idea of
sowing a cover crop in his cotton
field. Even If the increase had been
only half what it actually was it
would have paid larger per cent on
the investment. .-..... ....
In the fall of 1907 Mr.. L. NJ Cook,
Grand Cane La, sowed 20 pounds of
the seed of hairy vetch on one and
one-half acres of his cotton field He
grazed sheep on it during the winter,
but much of it reached height of
q foot or more in the early spring
before the land was plowed Cotton
was planted on the same land in the
spring of 1908, and when the writer
saw 1t on September II 1t looked as
T the yield would be 20 per cent bet
er where the vetch was plowed under ,
han where no cover crop was used.
Best Crop For Winter Cover.
Probably the winter legumes, such
Is bur clover, crimson clover and
Hairy vetch, are better for use as
winter cover, especially for the pur- ]
'ose of improving the soil, than the 1
winter grains. However, the winter
,rains, especially oats and barley, are
much surer than the legumes and are |
equally good to hold the soil from
away and as winter pasture, {
'ut so far as they will grow 1t is 7
much better for the farmer to SOW 1
he winter legumes, for they gather /
nitrogen from the air and enrich the 9
oil. 1t is an open question what win 6
er legume is the best. In some sec :
ions crimson clover, red clover, and !
he vetches may be used, but one !
disadvantage Of these is that in so Z
many instances the soil is not natur-
lily inoculated for them and the first !,
owing of these crops is failure.
he second sowing on the same land !.
) usually success, but many farm :
rs are discouraged with their first :.
allure and do not pursue the matter :
ny further. Bur clover has the ad- ;,
antage that when soWed In the bur :