Practical Orcharding On Rough Lands. 1 69 



worth, besides we can well afiford to devote 

 the entire use of the lands to our orchards. 

 If not, the trees had better never had been set 



Winter Cover Crops.— Crimson clover suc- 

 ceeds well in some sections, especially where 

 the falls are seasonable and the winters are not 

 too severe. Rye is often used, but it is not 

 good as some legumes, such as the vetches. 

 They, however, are not practical, as the seed is 

 too expensive. That we must use something 

 to keep our soil covered during the winter is 

 no longer a question, either among farmers or 

 orchardists. Whenever possible some of the 

 legumes should be used. But if rye should be 

 used care should be taken not to allow it to stand 

 too late in the spring. If allowed to make too 

 much growth, it becomes woody and will re- 

 quire a much longer period in which to decay, 

 besides it has drawn heavily on the moisture 

 supply during the last few weeks of its growth. 



Treatment of Cover Crops.— The purpose 



of cover crops being to aid in plant produc- 

 tion, by adding plant food to the soil, and by 

 shading the land and preventing washing, they 

 should be treated as circumstances may suggest 

 or demand. If peas are sown, either broadcast 

 or in drills, the peas may be gathered for the 

 next year's seed supply, and the vines left on 



