COVER CROPS 75 



Cowpeas form the best possible cover crop in south- 

 ern latitudes, more especially on light soils. They 

 serve excellently in the improvement of run-down soils. 

 As they require a rather long growing season, they 

 cannot be profitably used north of a certain latitude. 

 This limit seems to run a little north of New York 

 city at the east and Omaha at the west. 



Soy beans are by no means so well known as cow- 

 peas, and are perhaps not adapted to so wide a 

 latitude of country, but in northern states they very 

 successfully take the place filled by the cowpea farther 

 southward. They are especially satisfactory when 

 grown by the drill and cultivator method recommended 

 above. The early maturing varieties of soy beans are 

 to be preferred for northern localities. 



Other kinds of beans sometimes make excellent cover 

 crops. The common white pea bean does very well, 

 indeed. Mr. W. T. Macoun x>f the Central Experi- 

 mental Farm, Ottawa, Canada, has had first-rate results 

 from the use of the English broad bean. 



The vetches are in some respects an ideal cover crop. 

 They form a close mass of herbage which kills out 

 weeds and holds the soil. They accumulate remark- 

 able quantities of nitrogen. The winter vetch lives 

 through even hard freezing weather and makes a 

 quick growth in the spring. In fact early plowing is 

 necessary to eradicate it. Its greatest drawback is 

 the high price of the seed, which at about $7 a bushel 

 is too expensive for practical use. The summer vetch 

 costs considerably less, yet it makes a fine cover crop 

 either drilled or sown broadcast. 



Common field peas ("Canada peas") make a good 

 cover crop, more especially if sown with barley. The 

 barley supplies a support on which the peas climb. 



