ORCHARD TILLAGE. FERTILIZERS AND SHADE CROPS 
15 
is experienced in irrigating. The ground at the upper end of the row- 
soon becomes saturated but still a large head of water must be used in 
order to force it through to the lower end. Naturally the trees at the 
upper end are injured. Finally, we believe that both land and trees 
will be benefited by keeping the surface of the soil shaded during the 
heat of the summer- for the reasons already advanced. 
In the light of our present knowledge it will probably be the best 
plan to prepare the land fairly early in the spring and sow the seed. 
Or if experience shows that we need a certain amount of spring cultiva¬ 
tion in order to aerate the soil and to promote soil activities the plant¬ 
ing may be delayed until Tune. Whether in the case of a perennial it 
will be best to let it occupy the land for two seasons, plowing it under 
the second fall, or not must be determined by experience and individual 
conditions. It now seems best to plow the land at least every second 
season. All of the land may be occupied by the crop in old orchards 
but with younger trees space must be left for irrigation as well as to 
prevent the possibility of the crop appropriating food and moisture 
to the detriment of the trees. There would also be more danger of 
injury from small vermin and grasshoppers; the latter pest would 
probably have to be reckoned with in the young orchard at any event. 
One must take pains to see that the irrigating furrows are kept 
open and not allow them to become choked with vegetation. Provi¬ 
sion must be made so that water may be as judiciously distributed as 
though the land were bare. The trees should always receive first con¬ 
sideration; do not allow the prospects of a few jags of hay to warp 
judgment when it comes to a question of the health of the trees. 
Whether or not it will be advisable to remove any of the crop for 
hay must be determined for each orchard. When the land has been 
badly impoverished, or is in poor physical condition, all of the growth 
should be returned to the soil. 
If, later on it is found that the continued use of legumes is furnish¬ 
ing too much nitrogen, as will be indicated by a rank growth, then a 
change should be made; rye or buckwheat may be used instead. 
The kind of crop which will be best adapted for use as a shade 
crop is yet to be determined and it is likely that different soils and 
different localities will demand different things. Red clover is at 
present most in favor among the few who have tried any crop at all. 
A number of orchards at Paonia have recently been planted to clover 
and the results are very satisfactory. It has made a splendid growth, 
even close to the trunks of the largest trees. (See Plate I.) Clover 
also does fairly well in the northern district. Winter vetch has been 
used to some extent, for several years in the vicinity of Rocky Ford. 
This plant will make a fairly good growth in any of the orchard dis¬ 
tricts of the state. A few orchardists are experimenting with Canada 
field peas. Peas have the advantage that they make a splendid feed 
if one wishes to combine hog feeding with orcharding. The pods 
will not fill nearly so well, however as they do in the higher altitudes 
where the climate is much cooler. Pea seed should, therefore be 
planted as early in the season as possible. Cow peas have been tried 
