EXPERIMENT STATION WORK WITH APPLES. 557 



At the Canada P^xperimcntal Farms'^ red and mammoth clovers 

 sown broadcast at the rate of 12 jwiinds per acre made the best cover 

 crops for orcliards. Common red clover and alfalfa mixed in equal 

 parts have lived over winter and proved better than either alone. On 

 lii^lit soils, however, alfalfa seeded at the rate of 15 pounds per acre 

 has done best. The New York State Station'' n^ports that manmioth 

 red clover formed a dense covering and remained alive over winter at 

 that station, comparing favorably with cover crops of vetch and rye. 

 At th(^ Delaware Station the vield of red cIovim-, includinor roots, was 

 at the rate of S,I21 pounds per acre, which analyzed 108 pounds of 

 nitrogen. Clover is recommended ))y the i\Iissouri Station for hill- 

 sides where there is a tendency to washing. 



Cowpeas is a favorite orchard cover crop in many of the Southern 

 States. The Whip-poor-will \ariety is considered one of the most 

 satisfactory sorts in Missouri.'' At the New York State Station cow- 

 peas made a good growth, l)ut were killed ])y the tirst frost. At the 

 New York Cornell Station'' the varieties Black and Whip-poor-will 

 proved the most satisfactory sorts. In Delaware the yield of cowpeas, 

 including roots, was at the rate of 6,327 pounds of green material per 

 acre, analyzing about 70 pounds of nitrogen. 



The crops thus far considered ha\e all ])een leguminous crops. They 

 increase the fertility of the soil in nitrogen. Where the soil is already 

 rich in this element it is often desirable to plant some nonleguminous 

 cro]), such as rye, oats, buckwheat, rape, turnips, etc. Oats proved 

 very satisfactory at the Michigan Station on heavy clay soils. The 

 crop was easih' worked with ji disk harrow in the spring, and it is 

 estimated that the cost of cultivating an orchard with this crop was 

 fully one-third less than when crimson clover was sown. Crimson 

 clover seeded with oats was less satisfactory than either alone.' At 

 the Kansas Station' oats and cowpeas have been satisfactorily used. 

 Rye and wheat also made heavy gi-owths, but were somewhat dilticult 

 to kill ])y cultivation in the spring, and are thei"«>fore considen^d of less 

 value than either oats or cowpeas. Rape and turnips used as cover 

 crops at the Michigan Station, '^ while fairh' satisfactory, were unsightly 

 during the winter and gave off an otfcnsive odor. At the New York 

 State Station'' dwarf Ess(^\ rape made a acit lank growth, not suffi- 

 cient to interfere with gathering fruit, l>ut furnished a hiding ])lace 

 for mice which girdled some of the trees. At the Delaware Station^ 



«Cana<la Expt. FarniH Rpts. 1900, p. 12:^. 

 ft New York State Stii. \\\A. 1S!»6, p. 440. 

 c Missouri Fruit Sta. Bui. 4. 

 dNcw York Cornell Sta. Hul. 61. 

 ''MiciiiganSta. Kpt. H»01, p. 110. 

 / Kansas Stii. Bui. 106. 

 9 Delaware Sta. Bui. 61. 



