94 THE APPLE 



to the writer is superior to a blanket of snow for protection against 

 deep freezing. Therefore the cover crop which holds snow the 

 best is usually the best protector for tree roots. This may not apply 

 to all parts of the United States nor to all winters. Periods of 

 extreme cold unaccompanied by snow are experienced in all apple- 

 growing sections of the country occasionally, and in some sections 

 frequently. Some sections not only have comparatively little snow, 

 but what there is usually comes with considerable wind and drifts 

 badly, leaving much of the ground bare. For these reasons the 

 cover crops should be those that will catch what little snow falls 

 and keep it evenly spread over the ground. 



Many crops such as soy beans, cowpeas, corn, etc. have been 

 given a trial, with the following results. Early in winter it was 

 found that soy beans had few leaves left and stood perfectly erect, 

 furnishing almost no protection to the soil. Cowpeas, though they 

 still held their leaves, stood too erect to afford much protection. 

 The field peas held their leaves well and had matted down neatly, 

 forming a good mulch. Corn was also found to have remained very 

 erect, as was also the case with cane and millet. Later in the winter 

 it was noted that the snow was held very well by corn, cane, millet, 

 soy beans, and cowpeas, while field peas and rye, though good covers, 

 lay too flat on the ground to catch the drifting snow. The almost 

 bare stems of such plants as soy beans, which still stood erect, held 

 the snow much better than a plant like field peas, which retained its 

 leaves but matted down too close upon the ground. The stalks left 

 standing after a crop of corn grown in the ordinary way has been 

 harvested make a very efficient snow holder, but furnish little 

 protection to the ground at times of intense cold unaccompanied 

 by snow. 



Frost-killed versus frost-resistant cover crops. In the East, to 

 furnish protection from washing and freezing, crops such as rye, 

 clovers, vetch, etc., that live through the winter, are preferred as 

 cover crops. In the West, in regions having somewhat dry falls, 

 cover crops that are killed by the early frosts are preferable to those 

 that live until severe freezing weather comes, or all winter. The 

 crops that seem to be best for the Western states are millet, corn, 

 and cane. They start growth promptly when sown in midsummer, 

 choke out the weeds, and dry the ground during the early fall ; 



