440 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



1. Their growth, helps to check the tree growth aud ripen the' new 

 wood. 



2. A cover of vegetable growth over the soil, supplemented by the 

 root SA'stem will prevent, to a very large extent, the washing of the 

 valuable top soil by the heavy fall and spring rains. This feature is 

 especially A^aluable on knolls and hillsides. 



3. A cover crop will catch and hold the leaves as they fall from 

 the trees. They contain some fertility and afford some protection. 



4. The cover crop itself will make a blanket over the soil and by 

 holding the snow from blowing away, this feature will be more effective, 

 as it will largely i)i'event deep and severe freezing of the roots and 

 the alternale freezing ;nid thnwing, all of wliich causes serious losses 



Eighteen pounds of Winter Vetch seed per acre 

 was drilled in this apple orchard in Aug., 1910. 

 Photographed May 17, 1911. 



By using a rolling coulter no trouble to got a 

 large growth of vetch turned under. 



in many Michigan orchards, especially those located upon the lighter 

 and more porous soils. 



5. One of the most valuable results from the use of cover crops 

 is that they add humus and plant food to the soil. Certain plants com- 

 monly used for cover crops as clover, vetches, peas and beans, possess 

 the power of gathering nitrogen from the air, storing it in the plants 

 and later it becomes available in the soil. 



Some of the advantages of the cover crop that might be mentioned 

 are: That they encourage the deep rooting of trees; they make the 

 fall and spring operations in the orchard more comfortable and they im- 

 prove the physical condition of ilie soil. 



A \Ai\nt suitable for an orchard or vineyard "cover crop'' must meet 

 some unusual demands. It must make at least a fair growth during 



