APPLES 



251 



fulfill the same purposes, but they do not 

 add the same amount of fiber to the soil, 

 and they certainly add absolutely noth- 

 ing in the way of nitrogen from the air. 



During several years I have traveled 

 over considerable country, particularly 

 the Ozark region of Missouri and Arkan- 

 sas, and I may be pardoned for stating 

 that the strongest, healthiest, most vig- 

 orous growth I saw on these trips was in 

 our Rolla orchard thus cultivated. And 

 I believe that in a generous use of cover 

 crops in orchards throughout the state, 

 particularly on the thinner soils, the value 

 of the crops may be continually increased. 

 Also the life and productive age of the 

 orchard materially increased. 



Rye has been used to a limited extent, 

 but it has not been so successful a crop 

 in the Rolla country as peas, vetch and 

 clover. When the trees are getting too 

 much nitrogen, the growth is rank and 

 succulent; cover crops are just as neces- 

 sary but rye or some other non-legumi- 

 nous crop should be used. It gives humus 

 and protection without adding more nitro- 

 gen, and also serves as a check which 

 helps the formation of fruit buds. 



The growing of Spanish peanuts in 

 young orchards is worthy of a trial. We 

 have also used velvet beans, which we 

 believe are adapted to conditions further 

 south where the season is longer and 

 will mature the crop. 



Needs of XortlnTest Soils 



During the past season, in company 

 with Mr. Irvine, editor of the "Fruit 

 Grower," I visited the orchard regions of 

 Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washing- 

 ton, and Montana. We made it a point 

 to inquire about cover crops. Generally 

 our Western friends all admitted that 

 they knew little about them and felt 

 their need, some had had little experi- 

 ence with clover. Their soil, rich in min- 

 erals, is often deficient in humus. This 

 is one of the greatest problems they have 

 to solve, and is one to which they should 

 give far more attention. 



There are many forms of mineral plant 

 food in the soil which are not available 

 to many of our cultivated plants. Even 

 under the best conditions thev have not 



the power to use them. On the other 

 hand, certain of our cover crops can 

 digest these less available foods, and 

 when they decay leave them in the form 

 convenient for other weaker plants. 



Work of Deep Booting Plants 



Many plants cannot work below the 

 surface layer of the soil, that is, they can- 

 not go down into the subsoil. Subsoil 

 contains a large amount of mineral; in 

 fact, the surface layer is merely a sub- 

 soil to which humus has been added by 

 the growing plants. This subsoil is very 

 rich in the necessary elements, and it is 

 the clovers and other cover crops which 

 send down their roots into this subsoil 

 and bring to the surface foods which 

 other plants cannot reach. They not only 

 bring these foods to the surface but the 

 roots remain down there and decay. Even- 

 tually the subsoil is incorporated with 

 the surface soil or, in other words, the 

 surface soil is made deeper by these roots 

 working around in the subsoil, loosening 

 it up and adding humus to it. 



The higher elevations are not adapted 

 to the growth of cow peas, but doubtless 

 our plant breeders will give us hardier 

 strains and varieties adapted to every 

 condition. Clover can be used advan- 

 tageously, but perhaps it is not the ideal 

 crop for these localities where intensive 

 cultivation is practiced. The hairy vetch 

 is probably one of the very best crops 

 suited to such method. Intensive clean 

 culture can be given until mid-summer, 

 then sowing vetch and turning it under 

 the following spring. We have found 

 Canadian peas a most desirable cover 

 crop in the Genesee valley of New York. 

 These peas are also utilized very largely 

 in New Mexico. This is a great crop for 

 the fattening of lambs and hogs, and 

 here is a suggestion that may be of some 

 value to the West, Grow these peas as 

 a crop for the fattening of sheep and 

 hogs, thereby manufacturing at home a 

 most valuable brand of fertilizer which 

 is one of the most effective methods of 

 supplying the humus required by Western 

 soils. 



While in the West we noticed a few or- 

 chards sown in clover and for partial cul- 



