TiiK Bulletin 20 



isi6 allow the dead vines to cover tlie ground iintil s]tiiiifj:, when they 

 are plowed under. Therd is some loss of fertility in allowinf!^ cowpeas 

 to cover the p;round during' winter. Cowpeas are in most general use 

 in the Sand ITills, as the other legumes do not grow so well. Cowpeas 

 grown through the summer and plowed under in the fall, followed hy 

 rye, furnish the most satisfactory combination for the Sand Hill Sec- 

 tion. 



In sections where the soil is of a clay nature and there is sufficient 

 moisture in the soil at seeding time to insure germination, there is no 

 better cover crop than crimson clover. For soils of the above char- 

 acter, crimson clover and rye furnish an ideal combination. When 

 used alone, crimson clover should be seeded at the rate of 15 pounds 

 per acn\ ]»ut when used in combination with rye it should be seeded at 

 the rate of 10 pounds of clover seed and 1 bushel of rye per acre. 

 Crimson clover should be seeded in August, Avhile rye may be sown 

 later. Ground covered with crimson clover should be plowed early 

 in the spring. If a crop of crimson clover grows much in the spring, 

 it dries out the soil to such an extent that sometimes plowing has to 

 be delayed until after a rain. 



Where there is a lack of moisture in late summer, and where crim- 

 son clover winter kills, hairy or winter vetch may be used in its place. 

 "Wlien used alone, vetch should be seeded at the rate of 30 pounds of 

 seed per acre. When u.sed in combination with rye it should be seeded 

 at the rate of 20 pounds of seed and a bushel of rye to the acre. 



In the Coastal Plain no better crop can be used than bur clover, but 

 in the other sections of the State peach growers have not been success- 

 ful in growing it. Bur clover should be so^vn in August at the rate 

 of 5 bushels of seed in the bur or about 20 pounds of clean seed per 

 acre. A bushel of seed in the burs weighs 10 pounds. It is advisable 

 to soak bur clover seed for fifteen or tw^enty minutes in warm water 

 before planting. After sowing, it is best to work the seed into the soil 

 with a spring or spike-tooth cultivator. Where it is possible to grow 

 the crop, a combination of bur clover and rye, seeded at the rate of 4 

 bushels of bur clover in the bur and a bushel of rye gives excellent 

 results. 



Uye is used quite extensively as a fall and winter cover crop. When 

 used alone, it is seeded at the rate of from IY2 to 2 bushels per acre. 



Thoroughness of the tillage during spring and early summer has 

 an important bearing on the success of the cover crop in that it pre- 

 serves moisture to germinate the seed. A cover crop sliould not be 

 planted before the middle of July, as the stopping of tillage allows 

 the soil to dry out. The cover crop should be plowed utidcr early in 

 the spring so as to conserve moisture. Where a large amount of green 

 organic matter is turned under rather late in spring, it does not decay 

 until too late to bo of tlif nio^t valiio tliat season. Also, capillary 



