Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-04

Cover Crops That
Maintain Orchard Soils
In view of the fact that the ma
jority of commercial orchards are
employing clean cultivation IN oon-
nection with the cover crop system
OF orchard management. q consider
able number of farmers with home
orchards have become interested in
this cover crop proposition.
Granting that your orchard Is in
clean cultivation, that is. that you
do not have it sodded down, your
up to midsummer, say the first of
July. Your chief problem then is
the selection of a cover crop which
will accomplish the purposes for
which the cover crop is intended.
In a measure this is influenced by
your particular soil type. and the
condition of the trees.
A cover crop does a lot OF things
for the man who believes in culti-
waiting his orchard. In the first
place it prevents washing. On
ground that is inclined to be rolling,
that is probably about as important
feature of the cover crop as there
is. In fact, clean culture is possible
on moderately rolling ground only
because of cover crops. Beyond a
certain point even clean culture ana
the cover crop system is not advis-
able, and it may be necessary to sod
down the orchard. That is a po1n,
which, of course, every orchardist
must decide, and it has no particular
connection with the matter of cover
crops as they are conGi' ed here.
However, in connection with this
matter of preventing washing. it is
important to select ~'0nt which
will make large amount of growth
and mat down on the surface of the
ground, and so prevent the water
! from washing, and also a plant that
has a large and fibrous root system
that will hold the soil particles to-
gether Sometimes you can get
both of these characters in the same
plant, but usually you will have to
make a choice between the two
! characters.
! The cover crop also adds humus to
! the soil. 1t is becoming increasing
| ly difficult to get enough manure to
maintain orchard soils. and the
! solution of the problem in many in
cause of the Importance of humus 1T
is sometimes even advisable to
| fertillze the ground just prior to
| seeding the cover crop in order to
insure an abundant growth of crop
to leave on the ground or pillow I'M
| der. Needless to say, an orchard
soil so weak as that needs good
legume crops as soon as they can
| be grown successfully.
Naturally cover crop sowed
| about the first of July begins pick.
| ing up good deal of moisture in
the late summer and early fall This
will check the fall growth of the
| trees, and prevent them from going
| into the winter in a soft soppy con-
| dition, the condition which makes
winter killing so easy. If you
| choose legume for the cover crop
in your orchard, you can add nit
| rogen to the soil. Inasmuch as
nitrogen is by far the most ex-
pensive of the commercial ferti-
ilzers, if YOU have to go into the
market and buy it, it is exrremef,
fortunate that the orchardist flnds
himself in such an excellent position
to save this expense. The legume
crop should be used in the orchard
just often enough to provide plenty
OF nitrogen; like lots of other good
things, you can have too much OF IL.
ana get excessive growth on the
trees.
Not the least important point to
consider about cover crop is its
ability to mold snow leaves, etc,
during the winter. Among the
iegulne crops which stand upright
and serve eXcelientiy in this ca
paclty are the soybeans. This snow
cover is extremely important in
severe climates in preventing winter
INJURY to the roots, and if it is nee
esSary in such climates to hold Inc
snow, and no other way is ayalIaD;e
OF doing it but the planting of some
tning that makes a good tall Neavy
CROWN, even something like corn in
combination with other rather heavy
plants, IL may De necessary TO do il.
Even aside from holding the snow,
the cover crop is efficient in pre-
venting alternate freezing and
thaWing, and of course, in this Way
prevents the winter injury to roots.
1t would be practically Impossible
to discuss the merits OF all the cover
crops available, but a few are GER
talniy worthy of mention.
Among the iegume crops which
are very high in favor are soybeans,
canada field peas. vetch, crimson
clover, cowpeas, and even the NAM
moth red and common red clovers.
In order to make an efficient cover
crop, you will probably find it neces-
sary to drill soybeans in such a way
that you can give them one or two
CIVILIZATIONS, possibly three. before
the orchard is laid by. Then the
soybeans will come along in great
shape. and make a wonderful cover
crop. They do not do so well, how
ever, II You simply broadcast the
soybeans or drill them and give
them no further attention.
BY far the best combination with
soypeans will be a seeding of rape
or even buckwheat or rye after the
soybeans are well up and coming
along in good shape. You will then
have a combination which will hold
the snow and leaves in fine shane in
the winter time. and a cover which
Will mat down on the soil and pre-.
vent washing remarkably well.
vetch is very good cover crop,
but somewhat expensive. For the
nome orchard they are mighty good,
because the small quantity of seed
Is not a very large drain on tie
purse.
The chief difficulty with common
red clover and rpan,O,ofb c1oyor {c