REQUIREMENTS FOR PRODUCING PROFITABLE CROPS. 



13 



CROPS TO BE USED AS (IREEN MANURE. 



Canadian field peas and Abruzzes rye do very well as green-manure 

 crops in the valley sections of the State. Under favorahle conditions 

 in the Sacramento Valley peas alone have given very good results 

 when seeded at the rate of 80 pounds to the acre. On the lighter 

 soils of the San Joaquin Valley peas do not make as rank a growth 

 as in the Sacramento Valley. For this reason it is suggested that 

 peas and rye be grown together, the rye to be sown at the rate of 

 40 pounds and the peas 50 pounds to the acre. The rye and pea 

 vines will add humus to the soil, while the nodules on the roots of 



Fig. 2.— Wheat growing on plat which has been continuously seeded to the same crop. (See figure 1, A.) 



the pea vines will transfer the nitrogen of the air to the soil in the 

 form of nitrates. If rye and peas are to be grown separately, the rye 

 should be sown at the rate of 70 pounds and the peas at the rate of 

 80 pounds to the acre. 



TIME AND METHOD OF HANDLING. 



Rye and peas for green manure must be grown as a winter crop. 

 They should be planted as soon as it is possible to plow the land in 

 the fall and should be turned under before the land is too dry for 

 plowing in the spring. Usually there is sufficient moisture in the 



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