The Greeley tribune., 1912-05-02
green manure crop such as alfalfa.
clover yetch oats rye etc

green manure crop such as alfalfa.
clover. vetch, oats. rye, etc.
In the east where experiments
have been run with clean cultiva-
ton versus sod tor orchard soils.
the results were found to be in
favor of the clean cultivation. Clean
cultivation versus rOtational
shade crop has been tried in Colo
RADIO and the results were in favor
of the shade crop rotation. In the
east, cover crops are used, which
means the sowing of the seed in
late summer and the blowing under
of the green manurue crop the next
spring or in the early summer. Our
conditions are such that this me-
thod does not work we'll, the great
est trouble being that the spring
plowing under of a great mass of
green material interferes greatly
with the first summer irrigation, as
it sometimes causes the soil to pud-
die and thereby causing the leaves
to turn yellow. BY shade crops is
meant the sowing OF the seed in the
spring of the year, thus shading the
soil during the summer from the
sun, and the plowing under Of the
green crop either the following fall
or the next fall. depending ON whe-
ther an annual. biennial or preen-
nial crop 10 grown.
Nearly all the Colorado orchard
soils are very poor in humus con-
tent and this is the principal reason
| why they are SO poor physically:
that is. they are hard to work whom
1t comes to irrigation and cultiva-
tiOn. Such soils do not take water
readily nor do they hold 1t after
they have been irrigated. Humus
in the soil will do away to a large
extent with these troubles and can
be obtained by >the plowing under
of barn yard manure, but on ac-
count of scarcity of 1t the orchard
lists will have to rely to a great
extent on the growing and the
blowing under of shade crop.
Shade crops are divided into two
classes. viz. leguminous and non-le-
guminous. The legumes are plants
like the alfalfa, clovers, etc. the
non-legumes are the grains. like
oats, rye. barley. etc. For orchard
soils which possess hard under
soil there is no plant like alfalfa
This Is not hard to handle II It is
not allowed to go to seed and 10
plowed under In the Iall of the sec
ond year. 1t Is we'll to Sow oats,
about one-half bushel to the acre
with the alfalfa for a nurse crop.
The oats should be cut before they
go to seed and they can be harvest
ed for feed. Alfalfa can be sown
later than clover with good results
but. as rule. 1t is better to SOW all
shade crops in the orchard as early
In the spring as possible. Mammoth
req clover makes a very good orch
ard shade crop. but sometimes It is
hard to get the clover to grow we'll
at hrst unless 1t has the proper
amount Of moisture. This is one
reason why clover is not always a
success In peach orchards, as some
times the clover requires more
water than is good for the peach
trees. In growing anything in the
orchard. one must remember that
the trees are the first consideration
and the crop OF second Importance.
For this reason do not over-irrigate
the trees in order to get a good
stand of clover. etc. Winter vetch
makes good shade crop provided
1t is plowed under in the fall of the
same year that 1t is planted, as It
goes to seed the second year in mid
summer and then dies. Field peas
can be used in the higher attitudes
u sowed very early in the spring.
The field peas should be disced un-
der before they go to seed. For
peaches in bearing follow tho field
peas with rye or bald barley and
plow the rye or bald barley under
In the fall. Sweet clover should be
treated about the same az winter
vetch.
At present there IL no system
worked out in regard to what Kind
OF shade crops to grow or what kind
OF rotation to follow in the man
agement Of orchard shade crops
but no doubt there Is a very great
need for the use Of them In . great
many OF our Colorado orchards.
There 10 no doubt that perpetual
clean cultivation has had its dav
and that the sooner some kind OF
shade crop 10 grown the better on
the soil conditions will be in \ great
many orchards.
r. 8. HERRICK,
Experiment Station. Fort