Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-20
COVERING CROPS
IN THE GARDEN

1t is the common thing for farmers
and orchardists to grow cover crops but
the average garden maker fails to real
ize that they may be used to advantage
by him Yet properly handled they serve
several important purposes. They defeat
the efforts of fall winds and rains TO
carry away the surface soil. and when
plowed under they add humus, prevent
the loss of fertility, loosen the soil and
put the latter in better condition TO re-
ceive and hold moisture.
Many poor gardens might be made u
produce abundant harvests after few
years if planted each season with a
cover crop and the latter turned under
to act green manure. Both light and
heavy soils are benefited. and no better
way to improve an impoverished garden
can be found. unless by the application Of
barnyard manure.
The plan is an especially good one for
amateurs living near large cities, for
they usually find manure Impossible 10
get, except at prohibltiye prices. and are
driven to depend upon chemical fertiiiZ-
ers. which add no humus to the soil.
Humus is decayed organic material and
as necessary as fertilizers. Flowing n
green crops adds humus in abundance
and puts the soil into the oest mechanical
condition for growing vegetables How
ers and fruit.
These cover or manurial crops are
divided into two classes, those which
take nitrogen from the air and those
which do not As nitrogen is the most
expensive of all the fertilizing Clements
which we buy. the possibility of extract
ing il from the atmosphere at the mere
cost of few seeds Is not one TO be over
looked The nitrogenic crops include peas.
beans clovers and the vetches. IL hap
pens however, that they do not intro
duce nitrogen into the soil unless condi-
tons are favorable, and often rye or
rape may be used TO better advantage.
Probably the garden maker with but a
little land will ind winter rye the best
cover of manurial crop. largely because
it may be sowed late. for it grows rapidly
and lives through the winter. 1t is pos
sible To sow rye up to the middle of Octo-
Der. although an earlier date is preferable
in the north. In any case, il may he
sown when most of the garden crops
have been harvested, leaving the ground
free. 1t is necessary only TO loosen the
soil with an iron rake and to scatter the
seed broadcast This is an excellent plan
for the man who has a flock Of poultry
as We'll as = garden. as the growing rye
VIII serve as pasturae,. for the birds il
the late fall; even in January there are
likely to be many days when the hens
can get out :nto the rye patch. In the
spring the rr2 should be piowed under
by the time it is eight or ten inches high.
Rape may also be sown rather late. but
should 20 into the ground earlier than is
necessary for winter rye 1t grows rapid
ly, and poultry is .fond oc it. but it is cut
down by nard fTosts.
In the states below the clover belt cow
peas are among the best OF fnanurial
crops hut farther north soy beans are TO
be preferred. Both take nitrogen from
the air and greatly enrich the soil, but
in order to become NITROGEN gathererx
they must have certain bacteria on their
roots, and these bacteria do not often
develop for several years II, however
a little soil from land where crops have
been grown is scattered over the sur
face of the garden the latter Will be
Another plan, and one which
anybody can adopt. is To secure a little
merse the seed in il.
Strangely enough cow peas. look like
beans, and soy beans much resemble peas.
These beans are little used for food in
this country, but in Chm they consti-
tute an important article Of Diet, being
eaten with fish and to supplement the
rice dishes. liz sown in July the vines
will make strong growth, even in New
The seed may go where green
peas radishes and other early crops have
been removed or even may be scattered
among the corn, tomatoes, squashes or
ca bbages, when no more cultivation Is
needed. Late In the fall the crop may be
plowef under or this work may be left
until spring Ii the garden is on a side
hill where il washes badly. rye is prob
ably the best cover crop and its use viii
certainly prove a great advantage.