OCR Text |
Show COVER CROPS. So far, there has been in Utah, very few farmers or fruit growers who have resorted to the use of cover crops in any extensive way. Wc believe be-lieve that this method should be more generally employed'. The Experiment Station authorities and practical or-chardists or-chardists unite in advocating the seeding of orchards down to some nitrogenous cover crop along in July or August. Mammoth clover, vetch, or crimson clover, all have been used, with success in this state for this purpose. Until July or August the orchard should be given thorough cultivation. Wc know of one practical horticulturist horti-culturist in Salt Lake county who has his orchard seeded to grass, and who keeps- hogs among the trees constantly. con-stantly. Wc do not believe, however, that this method is generally practiced, prac-ticed, audi as far as wc can sec it has no merits that could commend it to onchardists who desire to secure best results. It seems to us that it is absolutely ab-solutely essential that the orchard should be given tillage for at least a part of the year. Tn no otjicr way can the plant food in the soil be made available. Then there is the prime object of conserving moisture, though where irrigation is practiced, it is contended that this is not so essential, essen-tial, j Orchards in full bearing draw hcav- I ily upon the plant food in the soil, ajid certainly where the returns from the orchards are so ample as are found in Utah orchards, there is no justification for tuny man attempting , to grow -a crop of fruit and a crop of hogs from the same land. Where manure is scarce, a crop of any legume leg-ume will assist very materially in rendering available the plant food al- ' ready there, and in addition of QQursc, 1 some nitrogen will be secured from j i 1 1 ; ', the atmosphere. We cannot too , heartily commend the practice of ' growing cover crops in orchards and plowing it under along in September V or early October. tW n |