CIHM Microfiche Series (IMonographs) ICIMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) Canadian Inttituta for Historical IMicroroproductiont / institut Canadian do microroproductions hittoriquas Technical and Bibliographic Notes / Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the tMst original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in th9 reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming are checlwd below. □ Coloured covers / Couverture de couleur D D D D D D n D D Covers damaged / Couverture endonrunagde Covers restored and/or laminated / Couverture restaur^e et/ou pellicula Cover title missing / Le titre de couverture manquo Coloured maps / Cartes g6ographiques en couleur Coloured inic (i.e. other than blue or black) / Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations / Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material / Reli6 avec d'autres documents Only edition available / Seule Mition disponible Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin / L^ reliure sen'de peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge int^rieure. Blanl( leaves added during restorations may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming / Use peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6\aW possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 film^es. Additional comments / Commentaires suppl^mentaires: L'Institut a microfilm^ le mellleur exemplaire qu'll lui a 6\6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exem- plaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibll- ographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la metho- ds normale de filmage sont indlqute ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages / Pages de couleur I I Pages damaged / Pages endomn^iagtes D Pages restored and/or laminated / Pages restaur^es et/ou peliicuides 0 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed / Pages d^colordes, tachetdes ou piques [ I Pages detached / Pages ddtach^s [v^ Showthrough/ Transparence I I Quality of print varies / D D D Quaiitd inhale de I'impression Includes supplementary material / Comprend du materiel suppldmentaire Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image / Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'enrata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 filmtes k nouveau de fafon k obtenir la meilleure image possible. Opposing pages with varying colouration or discolourations are filmed twice to ensure the best possible image / Les pages s'opposant ayant des colorations variables ou des decolorations sont filmdes deux fois afin d'obtenir la meilleure image possible. This Hwn is fibnsd at ths rsducUon ratio ehselnd bslow / Cs doeumsnt sst filing au taux da rMuetion indiqut ci-dassous. lOx 14x Itx 22x 26x 30x J. 12x 16x 20x 24x 28x 32x TiM eopy filmMl lwr« has baan raproduead thanks to tha ganaroalty of: Ubwy Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality possibia considaring tha condition and iagibility of tha original eopy and in kaaping with tha filming contract tpacif icationa. Original capias in printad papar covars ara fiimad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- sion. or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original capias ara fiimad baginning on tha first paga wKh a printad or illustratad impras- sion, and anding on tha last paga with a printad or Illustratad imprassion. Tha last racordad frama on aach microflcha shall contain tha symbol -i*> (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol Y (moaning "END"), whichavar applias. Maps, platas, charts, ate, may ba fiimad at diffarant raduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba antiraly Includad in ona axposura ara fiimad baginning In tha uppar laft hand cornar, iaft to right and top to bottom, as many framas as requlrad. Tha following diagrams iiiustrata tha mathod: L'aKamplaira film* fut raproduK griea A la g«n4rosit« da: BiMiothkiM Agrieultiirt Canads Las Imagas suh/antas ont «t« raprodultaa avac la piua grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat* da I'axamplaira fiim4. at an eonformit<^ avac las conditions du contrat da fllmaga. I.aa axamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura an papiar ast imprimte sont fllmfe an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant salt par la darnMra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'iilustration, soit par la sacond plat, salon la cas. Tous las autras axamplalras originaux sont fllmte an commandant par la pramlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'iilustration at an tarminant par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Un das symbolas suivants apparattra sur la darniira imaga da chaqua microflcha, salon la cas: la symbols —^ signifia "A 8UIVRE". la symbols ▼ signifia "FIN". Las cartas, planchas, tabiaaux. ate, pauvant Atra filmte i das taux da rMuction diff«rants. Lorsqua la documant ast trap grand pour Atra raprodult an un saul ciich*. 11 ast film* A partir da I'angia supAriaur gaucha, da gaucha i droita, at da haut an bas, an pranant la nombra d'imagas nAcassaira. Las diagrammas suivants illustrant la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 KMCROCOrV mOUITION TKT CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) J APPLIED IM/1GE Inc ^^- ^6b^ Cost Mo YorV 1 4609 USA '.aa (716) 4«2 - 0300 - Phon* ^B (716) 2U - S9S9 - Foi CIRCULAR Np. si (N»w Horticultural iTltt). PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLU — ( DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Horticultural Branch). ORCHARD COVER-CROPS. TN fruit-growing sections there is not enough barnyard manure to 1 keep up the soil-fertihty, and some other method must be used. Cover-crops add organic matter to the soil, and if they are legumi- nous crops add nitrogen. They do not altogether replace barnyard manure, but will do more toward keeping the orchard up to a high standard of production than any other one method we can use. Humus necessary to a Productive Soil. The maintenance of the productive power of soils depends in a large degree upon the upkeep of the vegetable matter in the soil. Humus is one of the last stages in the decomposition of the vegetable and animal matter in the soil, and its benefits may be summed up as follows: — (i.) A well-drained soil rich in humus is rich in nftrogen. (2.) Evidence shows that, in the process of the formation of humus, acids are produced which are capable of dissolving mineral plant-food, and in all probability this~iVhow they become available to the plant. (3.) Sumus increases the water-holding capacity of light soils by consolidating them and making them less porous. It acts as a soil sponge. (4.) It ameliorates heavy soils, making ^hcm less liable to bake and puddle, so that proper aeration is sei ed. (5.) Humus generally increases the wan...h of the soil. The dark surface draws more heat than the lighter-coloured one. (6.) Humus furnishes food material for bacterial action in the e "^-J Alfalfa ai a Covtr-crop. Alfalfa as a cover-crop in the Interior has only met with a limited amount of success. Generally speaking, it has not proved to be a good cover-crop for the average soil and orchardist. Some of the chief reasons for this are as follows: — (i.) When planted it is usually put in as a permanent cover-crop, and has proved successful on a deep soil with an abundant supply of moisture during the summer months. The success on these soils has led many to sow alfalfa on very light soils where the moisture- supply was already deficient. (2.) Some orchards have been transformed into hay-fields, the alfalfa receiving more care and thought than the orchard. (3.) Too much of the crop is usually removed from the land. A rye cover-crop. (4.) The land in many of the orchards in irrigated districts was not properly levelled before the orchard was planted, and it is impossible to irrigate satisfactorily, even though there is an abundant supply of water available. (5.) In districts where water is not too plentiful too many growers have sown the entire orchard to alfalfa. (6.) Enough care has not been exercised in putting in irrigation- furrows, and many places have them too far apart to even water the trees with clean cultivation. In many cases there are only two irrigation-furrows between two rows of trees, and in others there are no furrows provided. To grow alfalfa as a cover-crop there st be a good supply of moisture during the summer months, enough to supply the trees and the crop of alfalfa. On light soils none of the crop should be removed, but should be left and disked in thoroughly. In orchards alfalfa should be sown at the rate of from 6 to lo lb. per acre, and irrigation-furrows put in at the time of planting not farther than 4 feet apart, and on light soils not more than 3 feet. In young orchards a strip of 4 or 5 feet should be left clean culti- vated on each side of the tree-mw, and this increased each year as the orchard grows. Red Clover. Clover is an excellent soil-builder, and if used as a cover-crop will supply nitrogen and organic matter to the soil. The same Ploucbing In a rye cover-crop. Crop bat been allowed to grow a little too long for beat reiulta. difficulties are encountered with clover as with alfalfa and must be guarded against. As a rule, clover should never be left in an orchard for more than two years without being turned under. Special care should be taken with irrigating, and on light soil none of the crop should be removed, and not more than one crop on average soils. Sow about 10 lb. to the acre. Mice, gophers, etc., are usually numerous in orchards where there is a sod-crop and must be fought against. Annual Cover-crops. Clean cultivation in the early part of the season followed by a cover-crop later is the most up-to-date and best method of handling orchard soils, and can be used with good results more generally than any other system of soil-management. There are two main types of cover-crops that can be grown, the legumes and the non-legumes. The legumes are all those plants which belong to the same family, as the peas, vetches, beans, clover, etc., and the non-legumes all plants not included in this family. Legumes are more valuable than the non-legumes, because the> are capable of gathering nitrogen from the air, and when ploughed under increase the nitrogen content of the soil. Non-lcguminoua Crop*. Rye is one of the favourite non-legumes of the fruit-growers of this Province. It grows readily on most soils, catches easily, is An Intercrop of mangeli In a Kelowna orchard. hardy, and furnishes a large amount of greenstuff to plough under in the spring, besides furnishing an excellent mulch during the winter months. Sow about 90 lb. to the acre. Winter wheat where lye is difficult to obtain is a good cover- crop. Sow about 90 lb. per acre. Buckwheat is a good cover-crop on heavy land, but does not afford much winter protection. Turnips have been used to a limited extent. When ploughed under they are valuable in liberating potash. Not good as winter protection. Rape is a good cover-crop sown at the rate <>f about 6 lb. per acre. I I Leguminous Cover-crop*. Hairy vetch is grown with good results in this Province. It it extremely hardy, will withstand hot summer drought, and is a fast grower. Because of these features and its ability to gather nitrogen from the air, it is, perhaps, the best cover-crop grown. It should be sown at the rate of 30 to 25 lb. pet acre. This crop is not used nearly as much as the benefits derived from it would warrant. This is partly due to the high price of seed. This difficulty can be o ercomo by leaving a strip of plants between the trees. In the fall they can be scattered about and worked into the ground. As vetch is a heavy seed-producer, this should give sufficient seed for a good cover-crop. A better way still is to let a small patch grow and harvest the seed from it. Crimson clover where it grows well is an excellent cover-crop, but is not hardy in the colder sections. It should be sown at the rate of 15 lb. to the acre. There are many other plants that make excellent cover-crops. Any plant that will make a K«iod growth in the fall and early spring so as to give a large amount of organic matter to turn under is a good crop to grow. Time to lOw the Cover-crop. The usual time to sow the cover-crop is from the first to the middle of August under most conditions. Where trees are not coming -nto b-aring as soon as they should because of excessive growth, sowing down the orchard to one of the sod-crops is a good plan, or sowing the cover-crop earlier in the season. This will tend- to check gr th and throw the trees into fruiting. Sowing the Crop. Many make the objection that the crop will not catch in the late summer. This may be true on soils very devoid of organ!- matter, but where a proper system of soil-managenent has been maintained in the early part of the summer there vill be little trouble in getting any of the crops mentioned to grow. If a seeder can be secured, the seed can be sown below the mulch where the soil is moist and the percentage of germination will be increased. In irrigated secti is the crop can be irrigated to start it if the soil is too dry at the time it is sown. Ploughing down Cover-crops. Plough the crop under just as soon as there is a good amount of greenstuff to turn under. Do not wait too long for the fast-growing crops, such as rye, or they are liable to get ahead and give trouble. In non-irrigated diatricts get the crop under aa tuxm aH potaible, ao that it will not dry the aoil out too much in the early aummer. Victoria, B.C., issued January, iQip. Tliit circtilar hat been prepared by B. Hov, AMistant Provincial Horticvl- turitt, at the rcquctt of tha Horticultural Branch. Copies of thii circular may be obtained free of charge on application to the HorticnltMral Branch, Department of Agriculture, Victoria, B.C., or from local branch offices of the Department. VICTORIA, B.C. : PrlDltd Iqr William H. Oi'Llin, Priattr lo tb« Klnc'* Mot axmiMt MajMty.