122 Peach-Growing 



When buckwheat, cowpeas, or other crops that are killed 

 by frost are used, they are soruetimes left on the surface 

 of the ground over winter or worked into the soil late in the 

 fall either with a disk harrow or plow. It has been shown 

 by the Ohio Experiment Station that substantially the same 

 winter protection is afforded the roots if the crop is plowed 

 under in the fall as when it remains on the surface. 



A choice of improvement-crop to be used may be deter- 

 mined in some cases by special conditions that need to be 

 met. For instance, the Nebraska Experiment Station dem- 

 onstrated that millet was one of the most satisfactory 

 crops available for the conditions in that state. It can be 

 sown relatively late and still make a good bulk of vegeta- 

 tion. While it is killed by frost, it remains standing well 

 and thus catches the snow and holds it from blowing off. 

 The snow thus held not only serves as an excellent winter 

 protection for the tree roots, but it adds materially to the 

 soil-moisture supply when it melts. While the latter factor 

 is unimportant, perhaps even undesirable, in some sections, 

 in others, especially those in the drier portions of the country, 

 it is greatly to be desired. 



Shade-crops are sometimes of importance in the regions 

 where irrigation is practiced. The bark of fruit-trees is 

 sometimes injured apparently from the reflection of the hot 

 rays of the sun from the water in the irrigation furrows, 

 especially if they are run close to the trees. It has been 

 suggested by Paddock and Whipple that such injury may 

 also occur as a result of the reflection of the sun from the 

 surface of the soil under some conditions. 



To meet this situation the suggestion was made first 

 by Paddock ^ that the shading of the ground during the 

 1 Colo. Sta. Bull. 142. 



