Orchard Cover Crops in Delaware. 201 



at the rate of 1." pounds per .icre Owing to the surface crust the germina- 

 tion of the seed was a failure. There was a little patch of each at the upper 

 end of the plot wuich did very well. The plants were from 6 to 18 inches 

 high and heading out May 18. These clovers were on the same plots which 

 they occupied the previous year when they were exceedingly good. 



Alfalfa 30 pounds to the acre. — The stand was uneven but pretty good, 

 and the fall growth was excellent ; much of it waw 18 inches high with an 

 occasional bloom the last of October. During the winter it made a better cover 

 than any of the clovers. Only a few plants winter-killed. The spring growth 

 was early and rapid, being 8 to 12 inches April G. Later it became more uneven, but 

 was entirely satisfactory and measured from 1 to 2i/{, feet high May IS ; a few days 

 later it began to bloom. On this heavy ground there has been no difficulty in getting 

 a good stand of alfalfa, nor has there been special trouble in plowing the crop 

 under. The ease of securing a good stand is attributed to fall seeding when 

 there is little competition with weeds on injury by drought. The alfalfa is a 

 decided success as a cover crop at the Experiment Station. 



Coichorn turnips 12 ounces of seed per acre. — After the excellent results 

 of this crop last year it is with some chagrin that it must be reported a 

 failure this year. The reason for this is the same as that mentioned for some 

 of the other crops, unfavorable conditions for germination of the seed. 



Dwarf Essex rape S pounds per acre. — Three-fourths of the plot had a good 

 stand which made a good but short growth. The plants were 15 inches high 

 and made a satisfactory cover October 31. Under more favorable conditions 

 they should have been nearly double that height. The rape made a good pro- 

 tection to the soil during the winter and the plants were only partly killed 

 by the cold weather. It starts growth very early in the spring and some of 

 the plants were 15 inches high April G. This spring growth is, of course, 

 for seed production. When the plants were nearly 3 feet high the last of 

 April thej' were mowed ; thi.s ended the rape for scarcely any second growth 

 came up. It was a much better winter and spring cover than rape usually is 

 for it does not live through the winter so well. 



EXI'EUIMKNTS AT JIAGNOLIA IX 1902-3. 



The ground used in the cover crop work last season was not used this sea- 

 sou. Instead of that, 15 lialf-acre plots and one of not quite half an acre, 

 were chosen in two bearing apple orchards. Since the soil is a sandy loam 

 only moderately supplied with nitrogen it was thought best to use mostl.v 

 the leguminous, or nitrogen-gathering, plants here. In six plots a single kind of 

 crop was sown in each. In the others a combination of two kinds was used. 

 The seed for all of the crops was sown August 5 and G. The crops were all 

 plowed under April 25. 



.S'o.» beans 15 pounds and duarf Essex rape 9 pounds per acre. — The seed- 

 ing of soy beans was so li.ght that not much could be expected from it. The 

 plants did very well, but attained only half the size they should have reached. 

 They were from 6 to 10 inches high October 8 and before the end of the month 

 were badly injured by frost. 



The rape started off well, but made a small and uneven development. 

 The largest plants were from 8 to 12 inches high October 30. The rape made a 

 fairly good light covering for the winter, but did not amount to much in the 

 spring. There were scattering, spindling plants going to seed April 24 at which 

 time they were from 1 to 21/, feet high. 



(ioy heavs 80 pounds and rye 30 pounds per acre. — The soy beans ger- 

 minated well and made a good stand, but did make the growth they should 

 have made. The largest growth October 8 was 12 inches. Two weeks later they 

 were badly injured by frost. 



The stand of rye was good and the beans and rye made a very good cover 

 for the winter. The rye made a fair spring growth and was from 6 to 13 

 inches high when plowed under April 25. 



