30 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 



Root-l-illing of apple trees. — The root-killing of apple trees is a serious drawback 

 to growing apples in a severe climate. When there is a good covering of snow the 

 roots are sufficiently protected, but if the ground is bare in winter the roots are liable 

 to be killed. There are two preventives of root-killing, namely, propagating trees on 

 hardy roots, and protecting the trees in winter by a mulch, which is obtained in the 

 best form by means of a cover crop. Many trees which are bought have been propa- 

 gated on stocks which have not been selected with a view to hardiness, and hence may 

 be too tender for some districts. At tire Central Experimenal Farm trees have for 

 the past ten years been propagated on seedlings of some of the hardier crabs or on 

 Pyrus haccata, and these have so far given good satisfaction. 



Cover Crops. — In the winter of 1895-6 root-killing of fruit trees was very wide- 

 spread in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, owing to the scarcity of snow and to 

 alternate thawing and freezing, and since 'that time cover croi)s have received much at- 

 tention in the horticultural department, and experiments have been conducted every 

 year since with the object of finding a plant or combination of plants that would give 

 the desired winter protection, add a fair amount of humus to the soil and be easy to 

 handle in the orchard in the spring. Crimson clover, Mammoth Red clover. Common 

 Red clover. Alfalfa, Soy beans. Cow Peas, English Horse beans. Hairy Vetch, Summer 

 Vetch, Buckwheat and Rape, have all been tried for this purpose. 



Crimson clover has been found too uncertain in tliis district, the plant not making 

 sufficient growth before winter. In some districts it does well. 



Mammoth Red clover and Common Red clover sown about the middle of July and 

 earlier at the rate of about 12 poimds to the acre, make good cover crops, the Mam- 

 moth Red giving a little the better results. 



AlfaKa is not as satisfactory as Mammoth Red clover, being more exhaustive of 

 soil moisture and more difficult to handle in the- spring. 



Soy beans sown in drills 28 inches apart at the rate of 37| pounds per acre on June 

 IS. 'nade a good growth, but are killed by the first frost, and are hence not satisfactory. 



Cow Peas are too tender. 



English Horse beans, sown in drills 28 inches apart at the rate of one bushel per 

 acre have done well and continue growing till severe frosts. They hold the snow well in 

 winter, as they do not break down easily. They are rolled in the spring and work into 

 the ground easily. Rape, sown broadcast among the Horse beans, makes a good bottom 

 cover. 



Hairy Vetch, is a good cover crop, making strong gi-owth late in the season. It 

 may be sown broadcast or in drills. It is somewhat difficult to plough under in the 

 spring. 



Summer Vetch or Tares. — The Summer Vetch js much cheaper than the Hairy 

 Vetch, and is a rapid grower. It kills out in the winter, but furnishes a good cover. 



Buckwheat is not a good cover crop, as it adds no plant food to the soil, and the 

 leaves are killed by the first frost, but it is better than nothing and sometimes proves 

 useful for late food for bees, at the same time helping to hold the snow. 



Rape grows rapidly in the autumn and makes a good ground cover. It does not 

 add any plant food to the soil, but it is easy to plough under in the spring, as it is 

 killed by winter. Of the non-leguminous plants, or those which do not add nitrogen to 

 the soil, it is one of the best. 



Cover Crops and Conservation of Moisture.— As some plants exhaust tlie soil more 

 rapidly of soil moisture than others, experiments have been conducted in the orchard 

 with cover crops and chemical analyses have been made by the Chemist, Mr. Franlc T. 

 Shutt, to determine the percentage of moisture in the soil under different cover crops 

 at different dates, the results of which have api>eared from time to time in the Chemist's 

 report. 



Cover Crops and Plant Food. — In addition to their use in holding snow in winter 

 and protecting the roots of trees, cover crops have a vahie in that they furnish vege- 



