Inter-Planted Crops 143 



this plant do not fit it well for use in peach orchards, unless 

 for the purpose of overcoming some especially difficult soil 

 condition enough can be gained by letting the crop occupy 

 the land throughout the next season to justify such a course. 

 However, it makes an early vigorous spring growth which 

 could be of value for plowing under as soon as it is desirable 

 to resume tillage. 



The fact that sweet clover is resistant to alkali in a rather 

 marked degree is important in some instances, though 

 alkali soils are not suitable for peaches. 



Usually in seeding for forage crop purposes from 10 to 

 20 pounds of hulled seed to the acre are used, the smaller 

 quantities being used in the irrigated regions. It frequently 

 escapes cultivation, growing by the roadsides and in waste 

 places. 



Other legumes. 



While various other legumes are used in the management 

 of orchards, they are of regional value for the most part and 

 serve some local purpose or offer an acceptable alternative. 

 Many times the relative cost or availability of seed will 

 determine the choice between crops, or some factor other 

 than the characteristics of the crop itself will fix the choice. 



Non-leguminous crops 



From the standpoint of orchard maintenance, the non- 

 leguminous plants used as cover- and green-manure crops 

 serve the same purpose as do the legumes, except with re- 

 gard to increasing the supply of nitrogen. The non-legu- 

 minous crops supply humus, give protection to the roots, 

 prevent soil erosion, check the growth of the trees in the 



