66 Effective Farming 



middle of April to the last of May. The usual method of 

 planting is in rows four feet apart and two feet apart in the 

 row. A space of eight feet is left unplanted along the tree- 

 row on account of the climbing habit of the vines. A peck of 

 seed will plant an acre. In the light soils of Florida practice 

 shows that the vines should be dry and partly rotted before 

 they are plowed under. If they are plowed under when green, 

 an acid condition of the soil unfavorable to the trees may 

 result. October is the usual time for turning the soil. In 

 the northern part of Florida early frosts will kill the vines and 

 they will be dead when it is time to plow them under. In the 

 southern and central parts the vines should be cut with a 

 mowing machine early in the fall in order that they will be 

 dead when the land is plowed. In sections farther north the 

 beans are often planted with corn at the second working of 

 the field. Their use in these sections is increasing. 



Beggarweed. In Florida beggarweed is used for green- 

 manuring in citrus groves. It is a strong-growing plant that 

 does well in all parts of the. state. When once planted it will 

 reseed itself, if it is not cut too early in the summer. About 

 eight pounds of seed to the acre are sown between the tree rows 

 about May 15. The plants should be cut when they come 

 into bloom and left on the ground to enrich the soil. The 

 stubble left will shoot out and produce another crop. The 

 second crop is allowed to make seed. 



Bur clover. " Bur clover alone is commonly used as a 

 green-manure crop in the orchards of California and is often 

 so handled that good volunteer crops are obtained year after 

 year. 



" In the South, undoubtedly the greatest value of bur clover 

 is due to the fact that it is the cheapest and most easily handled 

 legume that can be used as a combination cover and green- 

 manure crop. Even where it makes a small growth of only 

 a few inches in height, this is sufficient to prevent to a large 

 degree the washing of the land in winter and when plowed 



