362 State Horticultural Society. 



at the earliest opportunity in the spring, then keep the ground fre- 

 quently harrowed up to July lo or 15, when a cover crop should be 

 sown for the good of" the soil and of the trees during the winter 

 months. 



MARKED RESULTS WITH CRIMSON CLOVER. 



I have used with great success crimson clover for this purpose. 

 This is an annual plant, grows quickly and will make a better cover 

 than the common red clover when sown as late as the middle of July. 

 When crimson clover will not thrive, Canada peas will do w^ell and 

 be of value. The renovation or improvement of the soil through the 

 use of clover or peas may be obtained very ecomomically. I be- 

 lieve it is possible to continue and to increase the productions of the 

 soil for generations to come, and by the aid of the clover and other 

 leguminous plants to add more nitrogen than will be taken from, 

 the soil by the crop grown. The following analysis was made of the 

 soil in one of my pear orchards after three crops of crimson clover 

 had been grown and plowed in, the orchard producing at the same 

 time three successive crops of pears, without other fertilizer being 

 applied. One sample of the soil was taken six inches deep, in the or- 

 chard, and one from the same kind of soil near by and adjoining, 

 where no clover had been grown for three years : 



INFLUENCE OF CLOVER ON FERTILITY. 



Three crops No. 



clover, per clover, per 



cent. cent. 



Water i5-oo 8.75 



Nitrogen .21 .12 



Humus 2 . 94 1 . 91 



Phosphoric acid, available .015 8.75 



The water content was determined after the soil samples had dried 

 for three days in a shallow dish in a warm room. The difference in 

 water of 6.25 per cent makes 46.875 tons per acre, in nitrogen of .09 per 

 cent makes 1,350 pounds more per acre, and in phosphoric acid of 

 .007 per cent makes 105 pounds more per acre. It would have cost to 

 purchase 1,350 pounds nitrogen at 15 cents per pound, $202.50 per acre, 

 yet the clover seed for the three 3^ears cost but $3 per acre. The seed 

 was sown when the cultivation of the orchard ceased, about July 5 10 

 10, and was lightly covered with a smoothing harrow. 



There is a limit to the extent to which it is wise to use clover or 

 peas as a cover crop, as too much nitrogen will afifect the keeping qual- 

 ity and the color of the fruit, the efifect being to prolong the maturity 

 of the fruit and cause red apples to take on a lighter color. After a 



