The Delta independent., 1911-05-19
Shade Crops for the Orchard.

Our Colorado hOrticulturiStS have
been practicing clean cultivation for
years. Some one has termed this
merciless cultivation and it does
look that way for why should the
soil be exposed to our brilliant sun
shine during the heat of the sum
mer? II is a fact that thousands
of tons OF fruit are produced for
years under merciless cultivation,
but unless some plan of returning
the humus is practiced we are like
y to have trouble later on. How
ever, a certain amount OF cultiva-
ton is necessary. We should grow
shade crop in our young orchards
during hot weather which can be
turned under every second season.
Even such crops as corn, melons,
beans and cane will shade the soil
and benefit the trees by keeping
the hot sun from reflecting upon
them.
Tracts on which alfalfa was grown
and plowed under before planting
trees are showing twenty-five per
cent more growth than the trees on
neis hboring tracts that have had the
same care. Others that contained
u cover crop do not show many yell
low trees unless from too much ir-
rigation. Some are leaving the
tnistles and plowing them under late
which answers the purpose to
certain extent Trees should be
allowed to take up all the plant
food that is made available during
the growing season. There is con-
siderable tendency in irrigated dis
tricts for trees to grow later than
they naturally should and as re-
suit go into winter with immature
or soft tissue.
Water and cultivation produce
this condition and consequently our
cover crops should be grown during
the late summer months or during
July and August. Red or June
clover is as satisfactory as anything
taat has so far been used. In some
Of our Colorado soil we find an
excessive quantity of nitrate of soda
which when taken up by fruit
tree turns the leaves brown. first
around the edge of the leaf andfin-
ally affecting the whole leaf and
eventually the tree. These nitrates
are produced in the soil by the
action of certain bacteria or germs
upon the organic nitrogen convert
ing it into nitric acid.
While these nitrates are benef-
cal in small quantities too much
is poisonous. Would not a cover or
shade crop overcome the action of
this bacteria or take up large
amount of the nitrates thus saving
our fruit trees? Some of our trees
turn yellow from the effects of red
spider, but this can be detected by
the appearance of blister-like spots
in the leaves caused by the small
web of the insects Red spider can
he plainly seen in the early morn
ing feeding upon the leaves by the
use of a glass of even low magni
tude. Trees need irrigation but
three or four times year according
to the physical conditions of the
land. We should not irrigate much
after the first of August.
Too much attention cannot be
given to studying dry farming and
embodying its teachings in our ir-
rigated sections. Humus is the
compound resulting from the com
pletion of organic decay. 1t is a
reservoir for nitrogen and puts life
into the soil, This is added to and
protected in the soil by shade crop
and its cultivation. The best crops
for this purpose are beans, peas, al
falfa and clover. However. we
should cultivate along the rows to
prevent any crop from appropriatins
the moisture and elements from the
trees. Give the trees the first con-
sideration. The crop to grow should
be determined by the orchard itself.
II too much nitrogen is furnished
try buckwheat or rye.