244 



BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



at this point. Hence I believe it is possible in New Eng- 

 land to grow crops of apples, or peaches or plums, or any 

 tree fruits, through the severest drought, and without their 

 materially suffering, by this process of holding the mois- 

 ture where trees can utilize it, instead- of having it pass off so 

 largely b}' evaporation. When we have given this high till- 

 age, we must protect the soil, or plant food set free by till- 

 age will be lost during the balance of the season. Here 

 comes in the importance of clover crops. 



I have used with success crimson clover for this purpose. 

 Crimson clover is an annual plant, and for this reason it 

 grows quickly and will make a better cover than the com- 

 mon red clover when sown as late as the middle of July. 

 Where crimson clover will not thrive, Canada peas will do 

 well and will be of value. The renovation or improve- 

 ment of the soil through the use of clover or peas may be 

 obtained most economically. I believe it is possible to 

 continue and to increase the production of the soil for gen- 

 erations to come, and by the aid of the clover and other 

 leguminous plants to add more nitrogen than will be taken 

 from the soil by the crop grown. The following analysis 

 was made of the soil in one of my pear orchards after three 

 crops of crimson clover had been grown and plowed in, the 

 orchard producing at the same time three successive crops of 

 pears without other fertilizer being applied. Three years 

 prior to this clover culture there had been a heavy applica- 

 tion of manure made from grain fed steers. One sample 

 of the soil was taken six inches deep, in the orchard, and 

 one from the same kind of soil, near by and adjoining, where 

 no clover had been grown for three years. The analysis is 

 as follows : — 



Three Crops 

 of Clover 

 (PerCent). 



No Clover 

 (Per Cent). 



Water, 



Nitrogen, . 



Humus, 



Phosphoric acid (available), 



8.75 



.12 



1.91 



.008 



