Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1910-05-21
Orchard
Cover Crops
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impoverished and starved conditions
OF the soil, naturally deficient in hum
us. Therefore, our policy has been
not TO rob the soil, but to build II up
by adding to It's strength whenever
possible and by preventing any loss
always having catch crops ready TO
take up food MT required by the trees.
Capt. J II. Seawhan, the grand old
man OF Payette. Idaho, the products
of whose orchards attracted attention
and blue ribbons at the Council Bluffs
Apple Show, and also at the Spokane
Apple Show, believes in cover crops,
and the adding of humns to the soil
He says when he takes his wOndrous
crops of fruit from the trees he feels
duty bound to give something in re-
turn, so in addition TO cover crops he
makes generous application OF barn
yard manure.
We believe cover crops the most
economical way to supply humus to
the soil, especially in orchards. Com
mercial fertilizers, however, may be
used where there Is not time enough
to build up the land before planting
an orchard.
In planting later addition Of l5,-
coo One-year trees TO the Rolla or
chards. we applied to the surface-Soil
around each tree several pounds OF
commercial "5-S-3", and bone meal
(the refers to percent nitrogen, the
8 to percent phosphate, ana the To
percent potaSh). Every tree lived
and made vigorous growth. Planters
of western orchards on land deticient
in humus have supplied the deficiency
by this method rather than lose a
years time in the cultivation OF some
crop. We suggest that each tree at
the time of planting be given several
pounds of ground sheep or other man
ure. or some commercial brand OF fer
tilizer as may be convenient. Don't
put bulky manure in the tree hole
around the roots when planting, as it
dries out readily. Abundant humus
may then be supplied by the cover
crops to follow. This method is also
suggested for old land lacking in fer
tility. The money and time spent in
applying the stimnlant will prove a
profitable investment.
Nitrate of soda is sometimes bene-
fical in starting growth whan back
ward n the spring; while it stimulates
growth, it adds nothing in the way of
humus, and it is easily washed from
The soil by rain.
Cover crops are necessary for the
permanent maintenance Of fertility.
IT we practice clean cultivation, and
expect to gather good crops of fruit,
we must supply the soil with humus.
The cheapest method and one best
adapted to orchard cultivation, is to
SOW cover crops after cultivating the
orchard the first part OF the summer
and in this way not only maintain
the fertility Of the land, but actually
improve it.
In opening up new country the
virgin land is exploited, the soil is
robbed Of its fertility and nothing is
returned to it. Some OF the American
farmers have taken less than a gener-
alton TO crop their land to death"
They had rich farms in the beginning
but with year each yields grow less.
Compare this it'll the land in the old
countries of Europe and Asia, some of
which were farmed before the b irth
Of Christ. 1t is fact that their yield
per acre is usually double or more
than that Of this country. Our supply
of new land is nearly exhausted and
If we want crops in the future like we
have had in the past we can have them
only by adding humus 10 the landry
using green manures-cover crops.