ENRICHING THE SOIL, FARM RESOURCES 81 



difficult to secure a "catch" of clover. In such 

 cases, it is well to begin with fall -sown rye or 

 field peas. When the soil has become mellow, 

 clover may be successful. 



116. Cover-crops are used mostly in fruit 

 plantations. They are sown in midsummer, or 

 later, after tillage is completed, for tillage should 

 cease early, in order that the fruit plants will 

 not grow too heavily and too late. The cover 

 is plowed under early the following spring 

 (74a). The cover checks the growth of the 

 fruit plants, prevents the land from washing 

 and puddling, holds the rainfall until it can 

 soak into the soil, causes the soil to dry out 

 early in spring, lessens injury from frost. 



117. Weeds often make good cover-crops. 

 The chief difficulty is that they cannot be 

 relied upon to appear when and where and in 

 the quantity wanted, and some kinds may be 

 difficult to eradicate (lOla). 



3. Direct Applications 

 3a. Stable manures 



118. The best direct application which the 

 farmer can make to his land, from his home 

 resources, is stable manure. It supplies both 

 humus and plant -food. 



