The progressive farmer and southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-21
COVER CROPS FOR ORCHARDS.
SOW Cowpeas in the Orchard at Once,
to be Followed in the Fall by Rye
or Crimson Clover.

~ nAooI eases OTcudrQS are located
on the more elevated land, which is
hllly or rolling, with sandy soil and
clay subsotl. On such soil it is hard
to prevent surface washing entirely
but 1t could be reduced to the mini
mum by the proper use of cover
crops. Not only do these cover crops
prevent surface washing, but they
utilize the soluble fertilizers which
would otherwise leach out of the
soil. When the crop is turned under.
it adds considerable humus to the
soil and the fertilizers required to
produce 1t become available for the
use of the trees.
The plants used as cover crops are
OF two distinct types, leguminous
and non-leguminous plants. The
legumes, such as clover, cowpeas and
vetch, in addition to furnishing hui
mus, have the power of collecting
nitrogen from the air for the use of
other plants. The non-leguminous
plants. such as rye, oats and turnips,
do not collect nitrogen from the. air,
but when sOwn in the early fall con-
sumo soluble plant food during their
growth, which would otherwise be
lost by teaching and which is return
ed to the soil when the cover crop
is plowed under in the spring. Most
soils where orchards are planted are
deficient in both humus and nitro
gen and, therefore. leguminous COW
er crop should be selected. If the
trees make sufficient growth without
the use of heterogeneous fertilizers,
then non-leguminous crop may be
planted.
To add nitrogen and humus to the
soil and to prevent surface washing
we should have both a winter and
summer cover crop. Rye, followed
by cowpeas, will give best results on
poor soil. The rye should be sown
in the early fall in order that 1t may
cover the ground as soon as possible
and prevent surface washing. The
rye should be turned under not later
than the last of March. This may
be accomplished by double harrow
ing with the disk harrow, and this
method is preferable to blowing as 1t
avoids the danger of blowing too deep
near the trees. A strip of land six
to ten feet wide between the rows OF
trees should be prepared and the peas
sown broadcast about the first OF
May. Early in September the pea
vines should be worked into the soil
~, aars NJ a disk harrow and the
land can be seeded to rye or crimson
slower.
After one or two crops OF rye ana
peas have been worked into the SOIL
crimson clover or hairy vetch may pc
sown instead of rye Crimson clover
makes an excellent cover crop from
September to May. AS soon as enough
seed have ripened to re-seed ltsell'
the clover should be worked into the
soil with a disk harrow. IL the
clover is allowed to occupy all OF the
space between the rows OF trees our
ing the months of March and April, II
will retard the growth Of the trees to
some extent, and therefore, 1t is pes'
to turn under the clover early ~
March. Fertilize and cultivate the
trees early in March, leaving mar
row strip of clover in the middie u
re-seed itself. A strip two or three
feet wide will produce enough see'
for the entire middle. After the see'
have ripened, the clover is worKe'
into the soil with disk harrow am