CRIMSON CLOVER '251 



surfaces the harrow should be used first and then 

 the roller. No method of sowing the seed is more 

 satisfactory than that which sows it by grain drills, 

 which can deposit it in the soil as grain is sown, as 

 it is then buried at an even depth. Sowing to a 

 medium depth, say, 1/2 to i^ inches, is preferable 

 to either extreme. 



Whether it is advisable to sow a nurse crop will 

 depend upon conditions. When the seed is sown 

 early, in hot weather the young plants are helped 

 by more or less of shade. Such shade is usually pro- 

 vided by the other factor or factors of the mixture. 

 But when shade only is wanted from the nurse crop, 

 a thin seeding of buckwheat has been found to an- 

 swer. Melons and tomatoes have in some instances 

 furnished shade satisfactorily, and in others up- 

 right growing varieties of cow peas or soy beans. 

 The less complete the preparation of the seed-bed, 

 the greater also is the necessity for shade. In or- 

 chards the shade of the trees is usually ample, and 

 in some instances excessive. The same is true of 

 vigorous corn and cotton crops. 



Whether this clover should be sown alone or in 

 mixtures will also depend upon conditions. If the 

 crop is wanted solely for the enrichment of the 

 land, it will usually be better to sow it alone, as 

 crops other than legumes do not bring as much fer- 

 tility to the land. As a rule, therefore, it should 

 be sown alone in orchards. It should also, usually, 

 be sown alone for soiling crops and for hay, but in 

 some instances for both uses it may be sown with 

 such crops as winter oats or winter vetches. On 



