One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture AnsweredWickson, Edward J. (Edward James)
Science
One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture Answered
Wickson, Edward J. (Edward James)
Agriculture -- California
The best crop for green-manuring in any locality is the one which will
make the best growth when surplus moisture is available for it, and when
its growth can be undertaken with least interference with irrigation,
cultivation and other orchard operation. Generally in California, such a
crop can be most conveniently grown during the rainy season, but in some
parts of the State where irrigation water is available, a summer growth
can be procured with very satisfactory results; so that we are now
growing in California both wintergrowing legumes, like field peas,
vetches, burr clover, etc., which are hardy enough to grow in spite of
the light frosts which may prevail, and are also growing summer legumes
which thrive under high temperature, like cowpeas and other members of
the bean family, and for which water can be spared without injury to the
fruit trees which share the application of the land with them. The
plants which are worth trying are burr clover, common or Oregon vetch,
Canadian field pea, and the common California or Niles pea. Whichever
one of these makes the best winter growth so that it can be plowed under
early in the spring, say in February or March, while there is still
plenty of moisture in the soil for its decay, without robbing the trees
or rendering the soil difficult of summer cultivation, is the plant for
you to use largely. All these plants should be sown in California
valleys and foothills, as soon as there is moisture enough from rainfall
to warrant you in believing they will catch and continue to grow. If the
land is light they can be put in with a cultivator and plowed under
deeply in the spring, as stated. If the land is heavy, probably a
shallow plowing would be better to begin with.
Cowpeas for Cover Crop.
I planted cowpeas between peach trees which I have kept irrigated; when
should they be plowed under?
Cowpeas will be killed by frost in most places and should, therefore, be
plowed in this fall whenever you have a large growth of green stuff and
the ground gets moist enough so that the trees will not be endangered by
drying out of the soil, which is likely to occur after plowing in coarse
material, unless the soil is kept moist by rain or otherwise.
Garden Peas for Green Manure.
Would it be possible to plant the Yorkshire Hero pea in on orange grove
as late as December 25 and get a crop from the peas? Would this pea add
much to the fertility of the soil?
You can sow any garden peas as late as December 25, if the ground is in
good condition and the temperature not too low. They are grown as a
winter crop except when the ground freezes. You would not get as much
good for the grove by growing these peas for the market as you would by
plowing the whole growth under green, but you certainly will get
advantage from the decomposition of the pea straw and of the root growth
of the plant.
Grass for Green Manuring.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account