176 One Thousand Questions in Agriculture 



and will rapidly be evaporated from the undisturbed bases of your 

 furrows. Therefore, we should harrow a dry plowing as soon as prac- 

 ticable, but with particular reference to the moisture supply rather 

 than to other forms of fertility. 



Straw for Humus. 



Do you consider straw good to plow under for humus, and which kind, 

 wheat, oat, or barley straw, is best? 



Straw, by its decay in the soil, produces humus and, therefore 

 acts in the same way just as does the decay of other forms of vege- 

 tation. As, however, straw is less easily decomposed than fresh 

 vegetation, it is less valuable and may be troublesome by acquiring 

 a greater amount of moisture by interfering with cultivation or by 

 tending to dry out the soil to the injury of other plants. If the soil 

 is heavy and moisture abundant, straw may be desirable, while in the 

 case of a light soil and scant moisture, may be injurious. There 

 is no particular difference in the straw of the diflferent grains from 

 this point of view. 



The Best Legume for Cover Crop. 



What would you advise to sow as a crop to plow under t When should 

 it be sowed, and when plowed under? 



The best crop for green-manuring in any locality is the one 

 which will make the best growth when surplus moisture is available 

 for it, and when its growth can be undertaken with least interference 

 with irrigation, cultivation and other orchard operation. Generally 

 in California, such a crop can be most conveniently grown during 

 the rainy season, but in some parts of the State where irrigation 

 water is available, a summer growth can be procured with very satis- 

 factory results; so that we are now growing in California both winter- 

 growing legumes, like field peas, vetches, burr clover, etc., which are 

 hardy enough to grow in spite of the light frosts which may prevail, 

 and are also growing summer legumes which thrive under high tem- 

 perature, like cowpeas and other members of the bean family, and 

 for which water can be spared without injury to the fruit trees which 

 share the application of the land with them. The plants which are 

 worth trying are burr clover, common or Oregon vetch, Canadian 

 field pea, and the common California or Niles pea. Whichever one 

 of these makes the best winter growth so that it can be plowed_ under 

 early in the spring, say in February or March, while there is still 

 plenty of moisture in the soil for its decay, without robbing the trees 

 or rendering the soil difficult of summer cultivation, is the plant 

 for you to use largely. All these plants should be sown in California 

 valleys and foothills, as soon as there is moisture enough from rainfall 

 to warrant you in believeing they will catch and continue to grow. 

 If the land is light they can be put in with a cultivator and plowed 

 under deeply in the spring, as stated. If the land is heavy, probably 

 a shallow plowing would be better to begin with. 



