THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



state by the frequent stirring of the surface soil. While artificial irriga- 

 tion would seem to have every advantage in the growing of plants, by 

 utilizing the methods that are at our command, we may be able to over- 

 come to a large degree the losses that follow from a limited rainfall when 

 it is much needed. The summer of 1910 was one that will long be remem- 

 bered for the very wide area that was affected by a third season of 

 drouth, yet in the culture of extensive apple orchards we could not detect 

 any lack of moisture to make sufficient growth of wood or the most per- 

 fect development of fruit. 



During a period of fifteen years we have been growing clover and 

 ploughing it in, sowing the seed in early July, and ploughing in the crop 

 in the late autumn or early spring. After each shower, however light, the 

 soil has been harrowed to hold the water that had been added, and as a 

 result from these methods of conservation of the moisture, both in the 

 subsoil and from light showers, a large crop of apples of the finest quality 

 was secured the past season, and one much superior to any produced from 

 the free use of water by artificial irrigation. 



The relationship of soil to plant life need be but little disturbed, if we 

 but make timely provision to meet the one most essential requirement, that 

 of maintaining a sufficient and uninterrupted supply of water. 



Some interesting results have been obtained along the line of meeting 

 the conditions caused by several successive seasons of drought. We have 

 for a period of three years been testing the value of the ploughing-in of 

 green crops, in comparison with land where no green crops were used, the 

 tillage being the same. In this case crimson clover was used, and ten acres 

 of land covered with apple trees given to the work. On one half eighteen 

 pounds of crimson clover seed were sown per acre about July 10. This 

 grew until November, and was left on the ground until spring and 

 ploughed in. 



The soil on both sections was harrowed once a week until July 10, when 

 the same quantity of seed was again sown on the clover section and this 

 continued for three years, when the soil of both sections was taken eight 

 inches deep and analyzed. The following table of figures shows the results : 



Crimson Clover as a Green Manure. Analyses of Soils 



3 Crops Clover No Clover 



Per Cent. Per Cent. 



Water 15.00 8.75 



Nitrogen 21 .12 



Humus 2.94 1.91 



Phosphoric acid available 015 .008 



Water 6.25 per cent. = 46,875 tons. 



Nitrogen 09 per cent. = 1,350 lbs. 



Phosphoric acid 007 per cent. = 105 lbs. 



With the very dry seasons that seem to follow so persistently, the subject 

 of irrigation for our eastern land is frequently brought up. It does not 

 seem like a practical proposition for any very large territory, nor is it really 



