Inter- Planted Crops 129 



it is one of the more desirable sorts even aside from these 

 features. The Brabham is also usually resistant to nema- 

 todes. 



While under California conditions summer green-manure 

 crops are usually undesirable, when other considerations 

 are subservient to the improvement of the soil, the Whip- 

 poorwill cowpea has proved to be one of the most desirable 

 crops for this purpose.^ 



Hairy vetch {Vicia mllosa). 



This vetch is also known as Russian, Siberian, and sand 

 vetch, the latter name suggesting its ability to grow well 

 on very sandy soil. The term "winter vetch" is also com- 

 monly given to it, but as it is applied also to strains of the 

 common vetch it is better to avoid its use in this connec- 

 tion. 



In recent years the hairy vetch has come into wide use as 

 a cover-crop for orchards in nearly all parts of the country, 

 especially where a leguminous crop that will live over winter 

 and begin growth early the following spring is needed. 

 This plant survives the winter both North and South, as 

 few of the legumes which quickly make a large growth of 

 herbage will do. IMoreover, it "succeeds well on sandy 

 soils, but can be grown on any well-drained land. It is 

 markedly drought-resistant, often making a good crop 

 under dry conditions where common vetch fails. It is quite 

 resistant to alkali and will germinate w^ell in soils too alkaline 

 for most legumes." ^ These and other characteristics 

 have brought hairy vetch into high favor as a cover-crop 

 with fruit-growers in nearly all parts of the country, though 



1 Bur. of Plant Ind. Bull. 192, p. 124. 



2 Farmers' Bull. 515, p. 17. 



