Fig. 8. 

 COVER CROPS. 



In growing fruit the most important question that we have to 

 answer is how to obtain the necessary plant food to keep up a healthy 

 growth and mature large crops. We may use the best tools and 

 practice the best methods, and cultivation will in a measure supply 

 plant food, but still the additional supply is one of the greatest sources 

 of expense, and if we do not have an abundance of plant food in 

 the soil, or if it is washed out during the fall, winter and spring we 

 have much of our " labor for our pains ". 



The four important advantages of a cover crop in the orchard are: 

 ist, to supply nitrogen and organic matter or humus to the soil; 

 2d, to improve the mechanical condition of the soil, i. e., to lighten a 

 heavy soil and make a light soil more retentive of moisture ; 3d, to 

 protect the roots from being injured by deep freezing, and 4th, to 

 prevent the fine particles of soil and plant food from being washed 

 away during the fall, winter and spring. 



That " cover crops " do produce the above results has been proven 

 by many experiments, and many kinds of plants have been em- 

 ployed. Those most used for this purpose are, rye, oats, barley, 

 peas, soy bean, cow pea and hairy vetch. These may be divided 

 into two classes, ist, those that are hardy, i. e., live through the 

 winter and make some growth in the spring before the trees start 

 into growth, and 2d, those that make their growth in the fall and 

 die in the winter, simply covering the ground and not absorbing 

 any moisture from the soil by their spring growth. Of the 

 former, the rye, Fig. 8, clovers, red and crimson, Fig. -9, and hairy 

 vetch, Fig. 10, are shown sown in the vineyard and in the peach 



