22 ORCHARD GREEN-MANURE GROPS IN CALIFORNIA. 
not make so good a showing, yet wherever sown early it has done 
quite well. 
As to the quantity of green manure produced by fenugreek in 
comparison with other crops there are but limited data. At Santa 
Paula, Cal., weights of vetch and fenugreek were taken the middle 
of February, 1909, to determine the quantity of green manure pro- 
duced. The plants growing in the space between four trees were 
cut and weighed green, and the yield per acre was computed from these 
weights. The fenugreek yielded 11,745 pounds per acre solid area, 
or 8,432 pounds orchard area, while the common vetch yielded 
19,140 pounds per acre solid area, or 13,742 pounds orchard area. 
However, these figures do not justly represent the comparative yield 
of organic matter, as the moisture content of the vetch was undoubt- 
edly much greater than that of the fenugreek, and the yield of dry 
matter of the two crops would have been much more nearly equal 
than is indicated by the figures given. At Chico, in northern Cali- 
fornia, fenugreek weighed green March 16, 1909, yielded at the rate 
of 13,721 pounds per acre. This was from plantings made October 5, 
1908. In comparison, at Chico, common vetch produced but 2,831 
pounds per acre. 
Considering the convenience and cost of handling, fenugreek is 
superior to any other green-manure crop now being used. The 
upright habit of the plant makes the crop easy to turn under. The 
roots have many nodules and form a system similar to that of the 
field pea. 
Fenugreek is especially desirable for an orchard green-manure 
crop, owing to the fact that no insect pests seem to be harbored by 
it. This point has been especially noticeable in sections where the | 
army worm, harbored in such crops as vetch, bur clover, and field 
peas, has done considerable damage to fruit. During the season of 
1907, orchards in which fenugreek was being grown were noted as 
being free from the army worm, while other orchards in the same 
section were quite badly infested. | 
PLANTING. 
No special preparation of the land is necessary for planting fenu- 
greek. A seed bed such as is desirable for ordinary field crops is 
all that is required. The best time for seeding varies somewhat in 
the different parts of the State. For a winter green-manure crop in 
southern California, in sections away from the coast, such as Pomona 
and Redlands, plantings should be made as early in September as 
possible. In sections near the coast plantings may be made later 
with good results, but September planting is to be advised. In 
northern California plantings for green manure should: be made the 
first of October. 
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