118 COVER CROPS 



bean may be grown in much the same way, and with equal 

 satisfaction. 



Care should be taken, when this method is used on land that 

 is subject to wash, to have the rows run crosswise of the slope. 

 If this is overlooked they help rather than hinder washing by 

 keeping the water in certain channels. 



Canada field peas are sometimes used and will make the 

 most humus to the square inch of anything that ever grew in an 

 orchard. It is the only crop that really gives serious trouble in 

 plowing it under. The vines are so rank and the stalks are so 

 heavy that it is like trying to plow under a field of bean poles. 

 With a good crop, the only way to get them under is to use a 

 rolling coulter on the plow and even then they will sometimes 

 clog up under the plow-beam. But they do furnish humus and 

 nitrogen in abundance. When they mat down on the surface 

 they will stop any " wash " but a cloud-burst. 



Weeds. It seems worth while to add that some orchard men 

 make use of weeds as a cover crop. Where they can be depended 

 upon for a good stand they are better than nothing. In fact there 

 is probably no really legitimate objection to them, except with a 

 very few such as witch grass. Of course they add no nitrogen. 



QUESTIONS 



1. What is a corn crop? 



2. What are the most important uses of orchard cover crops? 



3. Why should the fall growth of trees be checked? How does the covei 



crop assist in this? 



4. What class of cover crops add nitrogen to soils? 



5. Is there any advantage in having the cover live over winter? 



6. Give a list of the crops most suitable for winter covers in your 



section. 



7. Discuss the advantages of several of these. 



8. What ones are legumes? 



9. What ones live over winter? What ones are killed by fall frosts? 

 10. What is the objection to perennial crops for this purpose? 



