A„,„„t.iv„ BETTER FRUIT P-se o 



The Relative Values of Cover Crops 



By H. Thornber, Superintendent Horticultural Substarion, Victor, Montana 



rpHE problem of maintaining the fer- The two plots in peas are treated the 1918 and 1919 cut down the yield of the 



1 tility of the soil has always been o?. same with the exception that one plot re- Mcintosh Rfd/l'Sl^ 1^ ^^ f, P"/^" /^ 



ereat importance. It is the history of every ceives eight loads of manure per acre to compared with the 1917 -nd 1920 yields, 



fa.min/district, that sooner or hter, some- each crop of peas plowed under. The Rome Beauty trees, although twelve 



thine has to be done to replace what was The chemical analysis of the soil from years old_, have just commenced to bear, 



removed from the soil by the crops, or the the different plots show that the most after havmg lost practically all their fruit 



yields would decrease until farming became nitrogen has been added where no clover spurs up to 1918 by fire blight in the 



unprofitable if not impossible. The Bitter growth wa. removed, the next greatest blossoms. Plot five, which shows the least 



Root Valley is no exception in this respect. ..mount where only one crop of clover was yield per tree, cannot be considered a test 



The Montana Experiment Station, realiz- removed, and the least where all growth because it was clean cultivated for e.gh 



ing that the soils of the valley would need was removed. With the peas the addition years, and as Bulletin 1 U shows the trees 



something to maintain their fertility, plan- of nitrogen was also greater on the plot were nearly -"-d by rosette which is 



ned an ofchard cultural test in 1908, when which received the manure. While the generally conceded to be the result of mal- 



he Sub-station was started. This test w..s chemical analyses are of value, the growth nutrition and was caused by continuous 



St planned to determine the relative of the trees and the yield of fruit are per- clean cultiv.ation The trees are recovering 



v'le of clover and peas as cover crops as haps of greater interest from a practical ^:^^^'^'l^'J.^ "^ '^- 



compared with clean cultivation and inter- standpoint. ^ 



cropping with a cultivated crop of potatoes. -^he following table shows the average ^^ , , . , , -i 



After eight years it was very evident that ^^-^^^ ^..j diameters of the trees in the T^ROM observations made on the soil 



continuous clean cultivation and continuous different plots, and the average annual ^ during the past three years, that of plots 



Inter-cropping with potatoes were not the -^id per tree for the last four years. one and two is m the best physical condi- 



proper methods of orchard cultivation, and ^ A,.yi,H tion. The soil on plot five has improved 



in order to save the trees from premature Average Average per tree rapidly during the three years of plowing 



death the methods employed on these two Height Diam. for4yrs. under peas and manure whi e the soil on 



1 . u ^ J ., J;„„f;or,^rl ;,-, a rprent Plot Variety feet inches pounds ] j jj^^gg j^d four IS inclined to bake 



plots were changed as mentionea in a recent ,, , . . d.j 197 find 121 '^ , , ,• • 1 • u u 



' , . . J .1. 1 Mcintosh Red liJ o.uu lii ,,,Upn wpt and shows distinctly It could be 



bulletin and also m my paper read at the ^^^^ ^ _ 12.o 5.99 55 l^^ien wet ana snows a stinctiy u 



last annual meeting of the state horticul- 2 Mcintosh Red 13.6 6.61 102 improved by the addition of more vege- 



tural society and published in Better Fruit, Rome Beauty ..... 12.1 5 98 50 table matter. Evidently plowing under peas 



of which this paper is a continuation. ^ Mcintosh Red._.... .2 , 4 ,lone does not add as much vegetable mat- 



ui viiii^ii ui ' v v _ Rome Beauty U.4- i-J-3 'u , , clover, although the bulk 



In the beginning a five-acre area was 4 Mcintosh Red....... 10.6 5.25 48 'er as does tne ^'°]^^' « 



divided into five one-acre plots. Cross-ways Rome Beauty 11.5 5.53 33 appears to be considerable. The plot in 



o these plots were four rows of each of the 5 Mcintosh Red......_ 11.3 5.59 40 clover where all the growth is removed 



following varieties: Mcintosh Red, Rome ^^^ Beauty..._..... 11.1 5.45 8 demonstrates that the orchard is not the 



Beauty, Alexander and Wealthy. By this W7HILE the above table does not show place to grow hay. Hay and apples are no 

 arrangement a certain number of trees of W a great difference in the average %ooi companion crops, and sooner or later 

 each variety were planted in each plot. height and diameter of the trees on the ™-^ apples wi ai . ^ 

 Unfortunately fire blight destroyed all the ..^i-ious plots, one must actually see the The common and almost universal rea- 

 Alexander and most of the Wealthy early trees to appreciate the difference. For son for not growing a cover-crop in the 

 in the experiment, leaving only the Mc- example, an average tree on plot four, orchard is because of the expense How- 

 Intosh and Rome Beauty. which m.ay be only eighteen inches shorter ever, it is pointed out m Bulletin 114 that 

 At the end of eight years when continu- and have a diameter of only one inch less clean cultivation is actu.ally_ more expensive 

 ous clean cultivation and inter-cropping with than an average one on plot two, may have than where a cover crop is used. hi e 

 a cultivated inter-crop were found to be a spread of branches of only eleven feet, clover is usually considered more expensive 

 injurious to the trees these two plots were while the other has a spread of nineteen than peas, probably on account ot the cost 

 changed to peas with manure, and clover feet. Pruning undoubtedly has done much of the seed, it is the cheaper crop to use 

 with one cutting removed for feed the sec- to equalize the height and a stunted tree Our records show that while the =1"^" ="d 

 ond year. As the experiment now stands, often has a trunk out of proportion to its costs $8.40, or 70 cents per pound, which is 

 and has been running for five years, we have size. an unusual price, the pea seed costs $5.00 

 as follows- The growth of the Mcintosh Red trees, or 5 cents per pound, and_ must be sown 

 Plot 1. Clover two years, one crop re- as shown by the above t.able, is in the order each year, while the clover is good lor two 

 moved for hays'second crop plowed under. of plots 2, 1, 3, 5 and 4. The diameter years. This means plowing twice, preparing 

 Plot 2 Clover two years, no growth re- of the Rome Beauty trees is in the order of the seed bed twice, seeding twice, and mark- 

 moved, and plowed in fall. plots 1, 2, 4, 5 and 3, and the height in ing for irrigation twice, f-'ll'^^J^^ 

 Plot 3. Clover two years, all growth re- the order of plots 2, 1 , 4, 3 and 5. Gener- but only once for the clover. Besides where 

 moved, then plowed in fall. ally speaking, the trees on all the plots ex- one crop of clover was --0-^ Je hay 

 Plot 4. Peas two years with all growth cept plot four, have made a satisfactory about one ton, was worth (1919 pices con 

 Plowed under growth under the present methods of cul- sidered) the total of all the costs of the 

 Plot 5. Pe.as two years" plus manure and ture. Those on plot four have made the clover. However vve do not f«l that over 

 all plowed under. least growth and have produced more small one cutting shou d be removed-better not 

 ■it year Following the two years of applet than the other four plots combined. any until the soil is wel -PP -^ - J - 

 cover crops all the plots are clean cultivated The yields of the different plots during trogcn and humus. ^^^ ^ "^^ /'^f^^'^'^;^ 

 to get rid of the weeds, then the same the past four years indic.ite the value ol the between the '°''\°l '^^ '^^I'^J'^l^^l 

 rot.ation is started again. As will be noticed various methods of culture. While one - =°v- "°PJ -^ ^^ J^^ 3'"^*^' ^p^^^^^ 

 this gives one plot with no clover growth might conclude that the average yield per per acre m favo "^ '^^^ ^;°;;^. ^ J^ ^' 

 removed, one with one cutting removed tree is low in all cases, the station records cost $33.20 and the clover $22.20 per 

 and one with all growth removed. show that severe frosts during the two years acre. 



