THE VETCHES, SWEET CLOVERS, AND OTHERS 295 



is often used in orchards, and as a green manure crop, it 



is especially adapted for following truck or other early 



maturing crops. It is sometimes used for hay, but unless 



seeded with rye or wheat, the stems trail on the ground 



and become fastened together by the numerous tendrils 



into a dense mat, making harvesting difficult. When 



grown with one of the 



cereals, the stems are held 



erect and the hay is more 



easily handled. When 



seeded with rye or wheat, 



vetch makes an excellent 



soiling crop for use in the 



spring or early summer. 



It is sometimes pastured 



in the fall and spring, but 



does not stand tramping 



well, and is more valuable 



as hay. As a green manure 



crop, it has considerable 



merit. In the amount of 



nitrogen and organic matter 



added to the soil, it has 



few rivals. When grown 



for plowing under, it should 



be seeded with rye, which will not only add considerable 



organic matter, but the vetch is less twined together and 



is more easily turned under. Hairy vetch is sometimes 



a troublesome weed, particularly in wheat fields. The 



seeds ripen about the same time as wheat, and are not 



easily separated from the thrashed grain, either by the air 



blast or with screens. 



298. Cultural methods. — While hairy vetch may be 



Fig. 



105. — Vetch, showing flowers, 

 leaves, and tendrils. 



