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178 THE NURSERY-MANUAL
Q~S~~II~~N now oftett grow a cover-crop between trees to
sttppl~* the tte&d humus, the various annual legutninous crops
(11s ~ri~~0n &~erj being preferred, although rye and buckwheat
are got Ml. In regions where tltey tnatu.re, cowpeas are
SOWll. On accouttt of the scarcity and cost of labor, nurseries
are likel?, not to be kept so cleatt as fcrrtnerly throughout the
Smsoll, and the wt~ds tttny add useful fiber to the land ; yet
\veeds art‘ ttot to 1~ recommended for this purpose.
For the resting period or rotat,iott betweett nursery crops,
longer-lived crops tttay be used. Kains suggests sweet clover
as specially ~~Atablc ()I. Cf. Kaitts, “Plant Propagation, Greenhuse
anti S~trwry Practice,” 19 I(j), “ because this plant burrows
tfecpl>. and opts up the soil well besides adding considera’ble
humus, both by its decaying roots and its tops, when these are
turned uidt~. I’crhaps it woulti re$tce the rest.ing period to
two or three y~trs, as against, three to five or even tnore under
cotmiiott pra&L’ K~uall~~ tlte nursery lands are rested in
red clover or other meadow crop ; and if they can be pastured
before treed agnitl, the result is s~~ppc~~l to be better.
Although tile clheniical analogs of nursery trees sltow comparatively
small tttnounts of the more itnportant plant-foods,
tiurscrj’ lt~ti(ls ~weti fertilizing. Sit rogett is needed in cotnparatively
large atrtount.s. It chiefly cotiduccs to strong
growth. It is also augmented by the addition of ltumus and
the improvemt~nt of the physical condit,iott of the soil. When
nursery stock is making a poor growth, the grower should
first see that the tillage of the soil is as thorough and perfect
as possible, to supply additional plant-food and to preserve
the soil moisture. He may then add nitrogen in the form of
&micals. Tl w application should be tnade in spring or early
suttttttt’r. Ire should then be sure that ittsect or fungous attacks
are averted. If the land was originally in fit condition
for trees, and adapted to thetn, these suggestions should afiord
relief. More attention is being given to the complete fertiliz-