460 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



TABLE II. 



These experiments show that the use of legumes, instead of cereals, 

 increases the yield in these four products from one-third to one-half; 

 this doubtless would be true with other products. Further, the soil, by- 

 use of the legumes, becomes richer in fertility. This increase in soil 

 productivity ought to be taken to heart by citrus growers, who in the 

 last few years have too generally used cereals for cover crops. Surely 

 no increase of price in seed nor added care in culture of the legume will 

 begin to offset the value of the increase in crop. Since increased pro- 

 ductivity comes from enrichment of the soil, may we not assume that the 

 legume cover crop will materially increase the product of our citrus 

 groves? In fact, other experiments in which rye was fortified by dried 

 blood showed that about 1,000 pounds of blood per acre were needed to 

 produce the crop produced by some of the legumes. 



SUMMER COVER CROPS. 



Summer cover crops in our groves need but brief mention. Owing 

 to heat of sun, no rainfall and scarcity of irrigating water, the conditions 

 are the reverse of those in Florida and allow of such .summer plantings 

 only on a limited and favorable acreage. The past season some 300 acres 

 were found in the Highland district and included chiefly buckwheat, 

 alfalfa and whippoorwill cowpeas, although there were smaller sowings 

 of white sweet clover, soy beans, Tepary beans, millet, beggar-weed and 

 Colorado hemp. The buckwheat matures so rapidly that often it is 

 ready to be turned under in six or eight weeks, but then it is a non- 

 legume and usually has light tonnage. 



Experiments in growing alfalfa between the tree rows have been 

 frequent and where water is available would seem good practice for 

 young orchards. Alfalfa growing in bearing groves is of more uncertain 

 worth, as such growth demands fortnightly irrigation. 



TREATMENT OF THE CROP. 



The method of planting varies little : hard ground should be plowed 

 thoroughly, irrigated and cultivated. The seed may be drilled in. or 

 sown broadcast, then the ground furrowed shallow for future irriga- 

 tion as needed. 



If the soil is not already sufficiently inoculated, it can be easily inocu- 

 lated either by first treating the seed with an effusion of the pure culture 

 — which the government will furnish — or by scattering a few hundred 

 pounds per acre of inoculated soil taken from other fields. 



