Inter-Planted Crops 127 



event to make only a very small growth compared with 

 that of suitably inoculated plants. 



Cowpeas. 



Probably no other crop is grown so extensively for 

 orchard cover- and green-manure purposes as the cow- 

 pea. It is used practically throughout the peach-grow- 

 ing sections, excepting possibly the more northern dis- 

 tricts. This crop is especially important throughout the 

 middle and southern latitudes. It is killed by the first 

 frosts in the fall, hence is not to be used where an early 

 spring growth is desired, and where winter protection is 

 necessary, it may be less effective than a crop that lives 

 through the winter, though the mass of herbage furnished 

 by the cowpea and left on the surface of the ground or 

 even plowed in during the late fall furnishes excellent 

 protection, as has been shown by the Ohio Experiment 

 Station. 



In some sections cowpeas are turned under as soon as 

 they are killed by frost, and rye is sowed to furnish a winter 

 cover and an early spring growth. Grown for soil improve- 

 ment purposes primarily, the seed is commonly put in at 

 the last cultivation of the orchard, the middle of July or 

 early August, about 1 to 1§ bushels of seed to the acre being 

 used if sowed broadcast. The seed is usually covered in 

 this case by harrowing. 



When it is desired to grow also a crop of seed, earlier 

 planting according to the region and variety may be neces- 

 sary. In this case it is better to plant in drills about 3§ 

 feet apart as early as may be necessary to insure the maturing 

 of the seed. By adopting this course, it is possible also 

 to continue the cultivation of the orchard. Planted in drills, 



