140 Peach-Growing 



In the irrigated fruit regions of the inter-mountain and 

 Pacific Coast states where ill effects of continuous clean 

 tillage are appearing, the use of alfalfa as a mulch-crop is 

 being rapidly extended, though not in peach orchards to the 

 same extent as in those of most other kinds of fruits. 



About 30 pounds of seed to the acre is recommended for 

 humid regions and about one-half as much in irrigated sec- 

 tions. The directions and time for seeding clover apply 

 to alfalfa, except that as a mulch-crop early spring seeding 

 is practicable. However, advantage should be taken of 

 any local experience in seeding which has proved successful. 

 The best time and conditions for seeding vary more or less 

 in different parts of the country. 



Bur clover, button clover y Japan clover or Lespedeza, bitter 



clover, sweet clover. 



These legumes may be mentioned in the present connec- 

 tion merely to call them to the attention of peach-growers 

 as possible alternatives when for any reason the legumes 

 more widely used in orchard maintenance are not avail- 

 able. Each of them has possibilities for use in soil improve- 

 ment, but at the present time they are not widely used as 

 cover- or green-manure crops in orchard practice. In this 

 connection, it is important to point out the geographical 

 range of these different plants. 



Bur clover, of which there are several forms, is an annual 

 plant adapted rather definitely to the area south of the range 

 of red clover though not including much of Florida and 

 extending westward to include the eastern half of Texas. 

 It is also grown west of the Cascade Mountains in Washing- 

 ton and Oregon and throughout the most of California, where 

 one of its forms {Medicago hispida denticulata) is probably 



