104 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Wednesday, Dec. 7 — 2 p. m. 



WHAT CROPS MAY BE GROWN IN ORCHARDS. 



In the question of rotation of crops two purposes are in view : first, to add fer- 

 tility to the soil ; second, to get increase in yield. Land may be benefited in two 

 respects: first, by adding plant food; second, by improving the mechanical condi- 

 tion. The soil may be rich in plant food, and yet not fertile ; it may be in excel- 

 lent mechanical condition, and yet not productive. In order to have the best yields 

 of crops, both conditions are essential. 



Then the question is, how shall we improve the conditions mechanically ? By 

 tillage, by bre iking up the hard surface and allowing the air to penetrate. Another 

 object of tillage is to subdue weeds ; another is to obtain and conserve moisture, 

 for It is well understood that a plowed and pulverized surface not only absorbs 

 more of the rainfall, but retains the moisture better if fine surface tillage is kept 

 up. The mechanical conditiOH may also be improved by the introduction of humus : 

 that is, decaying vegetable matter. Moreover, the mechanical condition of the 

 soil may be improved often by drainage, but most of the soils in South Missouri 

 have natural drainage. 



The second main question is, how shall we add plant food toour soils? Tillage 

 is also an important factor here, for by exposing the soil to the disintegrating influ- 

 ences of air and sunlight, we allow the development of latent plant food. Then 

 "we may increase the plant food in a soil by growing such crops as of themselves 

 develop and add these elements to the soil. 



Now having stated these premises, we reason as follows: 



First. An orchard should be cultivated for the purpose stated, viz.: to afford 

 aeration to roots and for soil development, to keep down weeds, those robbers that 

 annually steal more from the Missouri farmer than all other robbers combined. 



Second. To conserve the moisture so that the tree may be supplied with the 

 moisture that would otherwise escape by capillary power and subsequent evapora- 

 tion. 



But clean cultivation perse (of itself) has some defects, some drawbacks. It 

 produces an abnormal condition. In nature the ground is kept covered either with 

 vegetation, or fallen leaves as in forests. Hence we may look for some destructive 

 influences in clean cultivation, especially in a young orchard where the trees aff'ord 

 almost no shade to the ground, leaving the ground constantly exposed to the sun — 

 especially in mid-eummer. It is claimed by very high authority that in this con- 

 dition some at least of the plant food escapes— the ammonia or nitrogen by evapo- 

 ration, the phosphoric acid and potash by leaching ; and by a continuous clean cul- 

 ture, there is a marked and decided loss of humus. 



By judicious rotation, or rather by judicious selection of crops for young 

 orchards, we claim that all the requirements hereinbefore stated may be met and 

 a profit had, or at least expenses paid for the required tillage. How ? In soils too 

 rich in humus, causing too rapid growth of roots, exhausting crops may be raised 

 and removed from the soil — cultivating the crops among the trees aff"ording all the 

 necessary tillage. In soils poor in humus (and I may say in passing that the South 

 Missouri soils if wanting in any element it is this), some crops may be grown that 

 will leave a large amount of matter to be turned under. In the ordinary farm 

 rotation, clover would answer the requirements, but during its growth tillage could 



